The Hundred 2026 Auction Row:England white-ball captain Harry Brook has spoken out against reports suggesting Pakistani players could be sidelined in the upcoming edition of The Hundred, calling the situation “a shame” and praising Pakistan as a “great cricket nation.”
The comments come amid growing controversy ahead of the tournament’s 2026 player auction, where concerns have emerged that franchises with links to the Indian Premier League (IPL) may avoid signing players from Pakistan.
Brook Backs Pakistan Players Amid Selection Concerns
Speaking ahead of England’s T20 World Cup fixture, Brook said Pakistan had produced some of the best cricketers in the world and that their absence would hurt the competition.
He noted that dozens of Pakistani players had entered the auction pool and that their participation would strengthen the league both competitively and commercially, especially given their popularity among fans.
“Our main focus now is what’s coming up in the T20 World Cup. It’s not really any of our business, to be honest,” Brook, who has been signed by the Indian-owned Sunrisers Leeds, said ahead of his team’s Super Eight clash against Sri Lanka.
“But what I would say is Pakistan have been a great cricket nation for many years. I think there’s about 50-60 players in the auction, and it would be a shame to not see some of them in there.”
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The Hundred 2026 Auction Row: Why Pakistani Players Could Be Overlooked?
The controversy stems from reports that four of the eight franchises partly owned by IPL investors might refrain from bidding for Pakistani cricketers due to geopolitical sensitivities and commercial considerations linked to India-Pakistan relations.
These ownership changes took effect in late 2025 after private investment was introduced into The Hundred teams. According to reports, agents were informally told that Pakistani players might only attract interest from franchises without IPL connections, raising concerns about an “unwritten rule” in leagues involving Indian ownership.
Historically, Pakistani cricketers have not participated in the IPL since 2008, and similar patterns have appeared in other IPL-linked leagues such as SA20 and ILT20.
ECB Responds To ‘Shadow Ban’ Claims
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has pushed back against suggestions of any formal restriction, stressing that The Hundred welcomes players from all nations and operates under clear anti-discrimination policies.
Officials also pointed out that nearly 1,000 players from multiple countries including more than 50 from Pakistan have registered for the auction, and selections ultimately remain the franchises’ decisions.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan wrote on social media platform X: “The ECB need to act fast on this…they own the league and this should not be allowed to happen…the most inclusive sport in the country is not one that allows this to happen.”
Pakistani Players’ Past Participation In The Hundred
Pakistani stars have featured in earlier editions of the tournament, including players like Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf, demonstrating the league’s previously open approach to overseas recruitment.
“There’s some amazing cricketers, and they bring great crowds as well. So it would be a shame to not see some of the Pakistan players in there and make the tournament and competition even better,” Brook added.
What Happens Next?
The 2026 auctions for The Hundred will take place in March while the tournament will occur from July to August. The result will show whether people correctly predicted the exclusion of Pakistani players from the event or whether they exaggerated their concerns.
“The Hundred welcomes men’s and women’s players from all over the world and we would expect the eight teams to reflect that, an ECB spokesperson said.
“Almost 1,000 cricketers from 18 nations have registered for The Hundred auction, with representation on the longlist of over 50 players respectively from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, and West Indies.”
“Every player should have the right to fair and equal opportunity,” Tom Moffat, chief executive of the World Cricketers’ Association, was quoted as saying. “While employers have autonomy in recruitment, those decisions should always align with principles of fairness, equality and respect.”
