The India-Pakistan 2026 T20 World Cup has been successfully held. However, tension does not seem to slow down between the two nations. As per reports arriving from the BBC, Pakistan cricketers are not being considered by Indian-owned sides for next month’s Hundred auction. Some of the Pakistan players played in the Hundred and other leagues across the world.
Despite being out of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009 because of diplomatic tensions between the two countries. Now, four of the Hundred’s eight franchises, Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds, are currently at least partially controlled by companies that operate IPL franchises.
Pakistan players’ future in franchise cricket looks doomed
Pakistan players are in trouble, as in the SA20, South Africa’s premier league, there are six teams with Indian owners, and in the ILT20 format, the same number of teams have Indian owners. In the USA league, which is named the MLC, four of the teams have owners based in India.
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The Caribbean Premier League also has three teams owned by Indians. Big Bash League (BBL) will also sell its teams to Indian owners by next year, and New Zealand is also launching a league that will be controlled by India as well. In the upcoming years, Pakistani players will feature in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and the country’s league, which is the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
No-Anti Pakistan policy in franchise leagues except IPL?
According to reports, a senior member of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) told an agency that interest in his Pakistan players would be limited to teams that are not associated with the IPL. Another report described the scenario as “an unwritten rule” for T20 competitions with Indian investment.
Last year, ECB chief executive Richard Gould said that he expects “players from all nations to be selected for all teams” in The Hundred and warned that “clear anti-discrimination policies” were in place.
Three of the four franchise ownership groups in question have not responded to ongoing reports. However, James Sheridan, deputy chair of Manchester Super Giants, told BBC Sport: “The only conversations we’ve had is to pick the two best squads to give us the best possible chance of winning the two competitions.”
An ECB spokesperson said: “The Hundred welcomes men’s and women’s players from all over the world and we would expect the eight teams to reflect that.
“Almost 1,000 cricketers from 18 nations have registered for The Hundred auction, with representation on the longlist of over 50 players respectively from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and West Indies.”
| Leagues Where Pakistan Players Are Reportedly Likely to Be Blocked | |
|
League |
Status |
| SA20 | All 6 teams have Indian owners |
| ILT20 | 6 teams have Indian owners |
| The Hundred | 4 teams have Indian owners |
| Major League Cricket | 4 teams have Indian owners |
| Caribbean Premier League | 3 teams have Indian owners |
| Big Bash League | Reportedly may sell teams to Indian owners next year |
| New Zealand (Proposed League) | Claimed to be controlled by Indian investors |
BCCI to stop sending women cricketers to WBBL and the Hundred?
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not allow their men’s team to feature in any of the franchise leagues except the IPL until they retire from international form of the game. Only women cricketers are allowed to go and play in different leagues across the world.
If an anti-Pakistan, it would be run by the BCCI, which would prevent the women cricketers from playing in the different leagues where the Pakistan players feature, whether men or women.
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