England Cricket Board, The Hundred reaffirm nationality-neutral signings amid concerns over Pak players' exclusion

The England and Wales Cricket Board, alongside the franchises of The Hundred, has released a joint statement affirming that player selection must remain nationality-neutral. This follows concerns that Pakistani cricketers might be systematically overlooked by four Indian-owned teams during next month's auction.

Half of the eight franchises — Manchester Super Giants (RPSG Group), MI London (Reliance), Southern Brave (GMR), and Sunrisers Leeds (Sun Group) — share ownership with IPL teams.

British media reports suggest these groups may bypass Pakistani talent. Historically, even without Indian ownership, Pakistani participation has been sparse; only two players participated last year, with just nine featuring across the tournament’s first five seasons.

"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. This has been a guiding principle from the outset and remains at the heart of everything we do," said the joint statement from the ECB and all eight owners, including the ones with IPL links.

The new ownership groups are set to assume operational control starting this season. Recently, Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan publicly shared his aspirations to join the league. Currently, 67 Pakistani male and female athletes, including nearly the entire men’s T20 World Cup roster, have registered for the upcoming auction.

"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. Players must not be excluded on the grounds of their nationality," said the joint statement.

In the Indian Premier League, Pakistani players have been excluded since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. A similar trend appears in other global leagues; no Pakistani cricketer has played in the SA20 since its 2023 debut, where all six teams have IPL-linked owners. Likewise, in the UAE’s ILT20, franchises managed by the owners of MI London and Southern Brave have not signed a single Pakistani player over four years.

England captain Harry Brook previously remarked that excluding Pakistanis would be a loss for the sport, while spinner Moeen Ali cautioned that such discrimination could invite legal repercussions against the owners.

"This reflects the broader commitment of the ECB to make cricket the most inclusive sport, creating opportunities, breaking down barriers and ensuring that players from all backgrounds have a fair and equal pathway to the top of the game," said the statement. "We want The Hundred to feature the very best talent from across the world, and will continue working proactively to ensure that the competition is a benchmark for inclusivity."