NEW DELHI: The England and Wales Cricket Board and franchises of The Hundred have released a joint statement stressing that no player should be excluded on the basis of nationality.

The clarification comes amid concerns that Pakistani cricketers might be overlooked by at least four Indian owned teams at next month’s auction.

Four of the eight franchises — Manchester Super Giants (RPSG Group), MI London (Reliance), Southern Brave (GMR) and Sunrisers Leeds (Sun Group) — are linked to owners of Indian Premier League teams. According to British media reports, these sides were expected to steer clear of Pakistan players.

Even without Indian ownership across all teams, only two Pakistan players featured in The Hundred last year. Overall, just nine have played across the tournament’s first five seasons.

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"The Hundred was established to reach new audiences, grow the game of cricket and ensure that everyone – regardless of their ethnicity, gender, faith, nationality or other – can feel they belong in our sport. Players must not be excluded on the grounds of their nationality," asserted the joint statement from the ECB and all eight owners, including the ones with IPL links.

"As the governing body responsible for running the tournament, the ECB is committed to ensuring there is no place for discrimination, and has regulations in place to take robust action to tackle any such conduct.

"All eight teams commit to selection being based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team," the statement added.

On Monday, Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan said he was keen to play in The Hundred.

A total of 67 male and female cricketers from Pakistan, including almost the entire men’s T20 World Cup squad, have signed up for the upcoming auction.

Background of exclusion in other leagues

In the Indian Premier League, Pakistan players were barred after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack carried out by terrorists from across the border.

No Pakistan cricketer has played in SA20 since its launch in 2023, with all six teams owned by groups connected to IPL franchises.

Similarly, in the UAE’s ILT20, teams controlled by the owners of MI London and Southern Brave have not picked a single Pakistan player in four seasons.

England captain Harry Brook had earlier said it would be disappointing if Pakistan players missed out, while spinner Moeen Ali cautioned that any deliberate exclusion could invite legal action against team owners.

(With PTI Inputs)