Coaches of Hundred teams with IPL investment say they have not been directed to avoid signing Pakistan players.
In February, BBC Sport reported that four IPL-linked Hundred franchises would not recruit Pakistan players, echoing a ban in Indian cricket. All eight Hundred franchises and the ECB later confirmed that nationality cannot be a factor in player selection.
At the recent women’s auction, the two Pakistani players went unsold, while the men’s auction on Thursday featured 13 Pakistani players, including Haris Rauf and spinner Usman Tariq. Shaheen Afridi withdrew on Wednesday.
Sunrisers Leeds, part of the global Sunrisers network, and Southern Brave are the only Hundred teams fully owned by IPL franchises. Adi Birrell, head coach of Sunrisers Leeds women and Sunrisers Eastern Cape men, said he had never been told not to sign Pakistani players.
“No, I haven’t,” Birrell told BBC Sport. “I’m sure there will be interest in some players tomorrow.”
Southern Brave women’s head coach Jonathan Batty added, “We’ve only been instructed to sign the best players to build the strongest squad. We have total autonomy on player selection.”
Decisions not to sign Pakistani players may also reflect scheduling issues. Pakistan’s Test series against the West Indies overlaps with this year’s Hundred, affecting player availability. Some players have previously been pulled from franchise commitments at short notice.
Mo Bobat, London Spirit’s director of cricket, highlighted the competitive nature of the auction. “There are hundreds of overseas players and only 16 overseas slots,” he said. “There’s no guarantee, but we are considering all players to build the strongest team.”
The Hundred auctions, a first in British sport, followed the sale of stakes in the eight teams, raising about £500m. Wednesday’s women’s auction saw players like Danielle Gibson, Issy Wong, and Tilly Corteen-Coleman sold for over £100,000, making them some of the highest-paid sportswomen in the UK.
