NEW DELHI: It would be "a shame" if Pakistan players are left out of The Hundred, England limited overs captain Harry Brook said on Saturday.
There have been reports that Indian owned Hundred franchises Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds could avoid selecting Pakistan players at the auction amid fears of political backlash in India because of ongoing tensions between the two countries.
Brook calls for cricket to stay inclusive
"Our main focus now is what's coming up in the T20 World Cup. It's not really any of our business, to be honest," Brook, who has been signed by Indian owned Sunrisers Leeds, said ahead of his side’s Super Eight clash against Sri Lanka.
"But what I would say is Pakistan have been a great cricket nation for many years. I think there's about 50, 60 players in the auction, and it would be a shame to not see some of them in there."
As many as 67 male and female cricketers from Pakistan, including almost the entire men’s T20 World Cup squad, have registered for The Hundred auction which will take place in London.
Pakistan presence in global leagues
Several Pakistan stars such as Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf have previously featured in The Hundred.
The Indian Premier League has not included Pakistan players since the 26 11 terrorist attacks in 2008.
No Pakistan cricketer has played in SA20 since the tournament began in 2023, with all six franchises owned by groups linked to the IPL.
Likewise, in the UAE’s ILT20, teams controlled by owners of MI London and Southern Brave have not signed a Pakistan player across four seasons.
"There's some amazing cricketers and, yeah, and they bring some great crowds as well. So it would be a shame to not see some of the Pakistan players in there and make the tournament and competition even better," Brook added.
The upcoming season of The Hundred is scheduled from July 21 to August 16, while the player auctions are set to be held on March 11 and 12.
(With PTI Inputs)
