Former England captain Michael Vaughan has called on the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to step in after reports suggested that Indian Premier League (IPL)-owned franchises may not consider Pakistani players in the upcoming Hundred auction.
Taking to X, Vaughan expressed strong opposition to the reported move, urging the ECB to act swiftly. “The ECB need to act fast on this. They own the league, and this should not be allowed to happen. The most inclusive sport in the country is not one that allows this,” he wrote.
The controversy has intensified concerns that political tensions between India and Pakistan could spill into franchise cricket. With four of The Hundred’s eight teams partially owned by IPL-linked entities, questions have been raised about whether geopolitical considerations are influencing selection policies in an English domestic tournament.
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According to a report by the Press Trust of India, Pakistani players may be overlooked by franchises connected to IPL ownership groups during the March auction. Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds are among the teams with IPL ties.
Pattern of exclusion
The reported development appears consistent with trends seen in other IPL-affiliated leagues. Since its launch in 2023, South Africa’s SA20 — where all six teams are owned by IPL-linked groups — has not featured a single Pakistani player. A similar pattern has emerged in the UAE’s ILT20, where franchises controlled by the same ownership groups have not signed Pakistani cricketers across multiple seasons.
Pakistani players, however, have previously played in The Hundred. Imad Wasim turned out for Northern Superchargers last season (now renamed Sunrisers Leeds), while Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf have also featured in earlier editions. No Pakistani woman cricketer has yet appeared in the competition.
ECB chief executive Richard Gould had stated last year that he expected “players from all nations to be selected for all teams” in The Hundred and emphasised that the tournament operates under clear anti-discrimination policies.
With player salaries set to rise significantly in the upcoming season, any exclusion would carry substantial financial implications for Pakistani cricketers. The ECB has not yet issued an official response to Vaughan’s remarks.
