England limited-overs captain Harry Brook has called it “a shame” if Pakistan players are excluded from this year’s edition of The Hundred.
Sources indicate that the four Indian-owned sides in the tournament may not consider Pakistan players during the auction on 11–12 March. Brook, signed by Sunrisers Leeds (formerly Northern Superchargers), will be the tournament’s highest-paid player at £465,000. He will not captain the side this year, focusing instead on the T20 World Cup.
“Pakistan have been a great cricket nation for many years and have some awesome players, some of the best players in the world,” Brook said. “It would be a shame not to see some of them in The Hundred.”
IPL-Linked Teams Limiting Selection
An ECB official reportedly told an agent that IPL-linked franchises — Sunrisers Leeds, Manchester Super Giants, MI London, and Southern Brave — may limit interest in Pakistan players. This follows a long-standing trend in franchise leagues: Pakistan players have not featured in the IPL since 2009 and have also been absent in South Africa’s SA20, which launched in 2023.
In contrast, ILT20’s American-owned Desert Vipers have signed eight Pakistan players over four seasons, while IPL-linked UAE franchises have not signed any Pakistan cricketers but have recruited players from 15 other nationalities.
ECB Response
The ECB emphasizes that The Hundred welcomes men’s and women’s players from all over the world, with nearly 1,000 cricketers from 18 nations registered for this year’s auction. Four franchises — Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Trent Rockets, and Welsh Fire — are not linked to IPL ownership.
Brook, who will also have a busy summer as a multi-format England player, said he is stepping back from captaincy decisions and leaving the management of the team to coaches and staff.
