Pakistani players in the Hundred: What’s the cricket controversy all about?

London—A storm has erupted over the England and Wales Cricket Board’s marquee short-form competition, the Hundred, after claims that Pakistani cricketers are being quietly frozen out by four franchises with Indian business ties.

All eight squads will be restocked at next month’s player auctions—women on 11 March, men on 12 March—but media reports last week alleged that Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds have already decided not to pursue Pakistan-eligible talent. Those four sides are part-owned by companies that control Indian Premier League franchises, and agents say the link is no coincidence.

One representative told the BBC an ECB official warned him Pakistani names on his client list would be bypassed; another labelled it “an unwritten rule” in T20 leagues where Indian capital is involved. The suggestion triggered a fierce backlash, with current and former players accusing the league of allowing geopolitics to trump sporting merit.

The ECB, which retains full regulatory control but last year sold stakes to Indian and U.S. investors to rescue its finances, responded on Wednesday with a blunt denial. “All eight teams commit to selection being based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team,” the governing body insisted, adding that regulations empower it to take “robust action” against any nationality-based exclusion.

Pakistan’s players remain sceptical. “This is not in our hands who picks us or who doesn’t,” said national batter Sahibzada Farhan, the leading run-getter at the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup and currently ranked third in the ICC men’s T20 batting list. “Wherever we get an opportunity…we’re ready to play that league. Let’s hope for the best.”

Farhan is one of 67 Pakistan men to have entered the auction, alongside fast-bowling trio Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, plus all-rounders Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub. On the women’s side, national captain Fatima Sana, world No. 1 T20 bowler Sadia Iqbal, all-rounder Diana Baig and wicketkeeper-batter Muneeba Ali have also signed up.

Only two Pakistanis—Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim—featured in the 2023 edition, though Afridi and others have appeared in previous seasons. With franchises now under public scrutiny, the March draft will be watched as much for who is omitted as for who is signed.