Moeen Ali has warned that a group of England players will take a united stand if any franchise in The Hundred deliberately avoids picking Pakistani cricketers in the upcoming auction.
His remarks came after reports in British media claimed that four franchises — MI London, Manchester Super Giants, Sunrisers Leeds and Southern Brave — could follow their IPL parent teams in informally sidelining Pakistani players due to strained Indo-Pak relations. The franchises are understood to have strong links with Indian Premier League ownership groups.
“In the UK, I’m not sure that can happen — and I hope it doesn’t,” Moeen told Telegraph Sport. “It just shouldn’t happen. It would be a massive shame, and I’m sure the ECB will keep an eye on it.”
England white-ball captain Harry Brook and former skipper Michael Vaughan have already termed such a move a “shame.” Moeen, however, hinted at stronger resistance if the reports prove true.
“There’ll be a group of players that will speak up. There’ll be things done about it,” he said. “Anyone who has concerns about this — whether they have Pakistani heritage or not — should speak up. In the UK, we have more say about these things.”
Similar patterns have been observed in other leagues, with Indian-owned teams in SA20 and ILT20 not signing Pakistani players.
Moeen added that many players remain silent out of fear of jeopardising their careers, especially given the global influence of IPL-backed ownership groups.
“These things have been happening for ages. It’s not fair — it’s discriminating against certain people. It’s horrible,” he said. “Players don’t speak about it because they don’t want to get in trouble. When you’re older like me, you don’t care as much. But for younger players, it’s difficult.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board is reportedly monitoring the situation and has written to franchise owners, warning that any breach of its anti-discrimination policy could invite action. However, distinguishing between sporting strategy and discrimination may not be straightforward.
With the auction approaching, the controversy has placed The Hundred under sharp scrutiny.
