As many as 63 Pakistani cricketers—including captain Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Saim Ayub and Usman Tariq—have registered for The Hundred players’ auction, set to take place in London next month. In total, 711 players from around the world have signed up for the draft-style event, with India being the notable exception.
According to reports, both domestic and centrally contracted Pakistani players are keen to test their market value. However, uncertainty looms over their chances of being picked.
Sections of the English media claim that more than half of the eight franchises could avoid bidding on Pakistani players. Teams such as London Spirit, MI Oval, Manchester SuperGiants, Southern Brave, SunRisers Leeds and Welsh Fire all have Indian ownership links.
A BBC report stated that Indian-owned franchises are unlikely to consider Pakistani players for the upcoming auction. Historically, such franchises—and other Indian stakeholders—have stayed away from signing Pakistani cricketers in overseas leagues like SA20 and ILT20, with the Desert Vipers being a rare exception.
The situation has sparked debate within English cricket circles. Former England captain Michael Vaughan voiced his concern, urging the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to intervene swiftly and ensure fairness in the league.
Several top Pakistani players, including Shaheen Afridi, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha, have registered with a base price of GBP 100,000. Others such as Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Nawaz and Naseem Shah are also part of the auction pool, alongside prominent international names like Finn Allen, Jonny Bairstow, Trent Boult and Quinton de Kock.
With growing scrutiny and calls for inclusivity, all eyes are now on how the ECB and franchises approach the auction.
