The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and all eight The Hundred franchises released a joint statement on February 25, 2026, reaffirming the tournament’s promise of being inclusive amid concerns about IPL-affiliated teams keeping out Pakistani players.
Reports suggested that four franchises—Manchester Super Giants (RPSG Group), MI London (Reliance), Southern Brave (GMR), and Sunrisers Leeds (Sun Group)—may ignore the Pakistanis in the March 11–12 auction due to India-Pakistan tensions, as has been the IPL’s approach since 2009.
England captain Harry Brook called any such ignoring “disgraceful”, while veteran all-rounder Moeen Ali warned in Telegraph Sport that players will “speak up” and take action if discrimination occurs. “In the UK, I’m not sure it could happen… it would be a shame,” Moeen said, adding that the majority of players would be against it and urged the ECB to be cautious.
The joint statement said: “The Hundred is a competition that is inclusive, welcoming and open to all… Players should not be excluded based on their nationality.” Selection will be completely based on cricketing ability, performance, availability and team requirements. The ECB stressed zero tolerance for discrimination, with tough action under the rules, which aim to showcase “the best talent from around the world” as a benchmark for inclusiveness.
Despite the controversy, Pakistan’s interest is strong: 67 players (63 men, 4 women) have registered, including T20 World Cup stars Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and others. Last season included Pakistani players like Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim.
The ECB’s proactive approach, including giving advance warning to teams, seeks to maintain fairness ahead of the auction.
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