ECB stresses Hundred inclusivity after reports of Pakistan players being shunned

The England and Wales Cricket Board and all eight Hundred franchises said on Tuesday that players must not be excluded based on nationality, after reports that Indian-owned teams may avoid signing Pakistan cricketers.

The BBC reported last week that Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds would not consider signing Pakistan players for the competition amid ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India.

“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,” they said in a statement.

“Players must not be excluded on the grounds of their nationality. All eight teams commit to selection being based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team.”

The player auction is scheduled for March 11-12 in London, with 67 Pakistan players having registered, including fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah, according to the BBC.

Pakistan players have been effectively barred from the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009.

The Hundred, the only cricket league in the world that uses the 100-ball format, will be held from July 21 to August 16 and was opened to private investment this year, with four franchises acquired by IPL owners.