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NEW DELHI: Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan on Monday brushed aside questions over speculation that players from his country could be overlooked by at least four Indian-owned franchises in The Hundred auction, saying the issue is beyond their control.

Manchester Super Giants (RPSG Group), MI London (Reliance), Southern Brave (GMR) and Sunrisers Leeds (Sun Group) are linked to IPL team owners and, according to British media reports, are likely to steer clear of signing Pakistani cricketers.

"See, it's not in our hands to decide who will pick us or not. That is not in our hands. Wherever we get a chance, who are interested can pick us and we are ready to play in that league," Farhan said ahead of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup Super Eight clash against England on Tuesday.

"And we are not interested to play with the people - the way you have spoken," said Farhan when asked about Pakistan players not being picked in franchise leagues around the world with strong IPL ties.

"I have a lot of hope, every player wants to play for every league, and The Hundred is one of the best leagues. So, hope for the best," he added.

Speculation around Indian-owned franchises

As many as 67 male and female cricketers from Pakistan, including almost the entire men’s T20 World Cup squad, have put their names forward for The Hundred draft.

Several Pakistan stars such as Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf have previously featured in the competition.

The IPL has not included Pakistani players since the 26/11 terrorist attack in 2008.

No Pakistan cricketer has played in SA20 since its inception in 2023, with all six teams owned by IPL-linked franchise groups.

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

England skipper weighs in

England captain Harry Brook had earlier expressed disappointment at the possibility of Pakistan players missing out on the tournament.

"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 had said last week.

The upcoming season of The Hundred will run from July 21 to August 16, while the players auction is scheduled for March 11 and 12.

(With PTI Inputs)