All eight teams in The Hundred have committed to not excluding players on the grounds of their nationality in this year’s competition, following reports that the four sides owned by Indian Premier League franchises would not select Pakistani players.
Half of the franchises in the competition — MI London, Southern Brave, Sunrisers Leeds and Manchester Super Giants — are now either owned or part-owned by companies that control IPL teams.
Several news outlets had reported that there would be an unofficial ban on cricketers from Pakistan, due to the continuing political tensions between the two countries. Pakistani players have not appeared in the IPL since 2009, nor have they played in the South African SA20 competition, where all six teams are owned by IPL franchises.
However, a statement released by the England and Wales Cricket Board on Tuesday said that “all eight teams commit to selection being based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team”.
The statement said the ECB and the teams “reaffirm their commitment to ensuring The Hundred continues to be a competition that is inclusive, welcoming and open to all”.
‘The Hundred was established to reach new audiences, grow the game of cricket and ensure that everyone — regardless of their ethnicity, gender, faith, nationality or other — can feel they belong in our sport,” it continued.
“This has been a guiding principle from the outset and remains at the heart of everything we do.
“As the governing body responsible for running the tournament, the ECB is committed to ensuring there is no place for discrimination, and has regulations in place to take robust action to tackle any such conduct.”
Only two Pakistani players appeared in The Hundred in 2025, but more than 60 have signed up for the 2026 auction, which is due to take place in March.
“I think there’s about 50 or 60 players in the auction and it would be a shame not to see some of them in there,” said England T20 and Sunrisers Leeds captain Harry Brook, per The Cricketer, when asked about the reports this week.
“There’s some amazing cricketers and they bring some great crowds as well. It would be a shame to not see some of the Pakistan players in there, and (they) make the tournament even better.”
The eight franchises in The Hundred were controlled and owned by the ECB until 2024, but stakes in all of them have since been sold to outside investors.
Sun Group, who control the IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad, bought 100 per cent of the Northern Superchargers in 2025 and changed their name to Sunrisers Leeds. RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, owners of the Lucknow Super Giants, bought 70 per cent of the Manchester Originals and renamed them Manchester Super Giants.
Mumbai-based Reliance Industries purchased 49 per cent of the Oval Invincibles and renamed them MI London, while Delhi Capitals owners GMR Group have the same stake in Southern Brave.
Stakes in the other four franchises were sold to American investors, including a 40 per cent share of Birmingham Phoenix which was purchased by Knighthead Capital — a group that includes Tom Brady and also owns Birmingham City football club — and a group featuring Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly bought 49 per cent of the Trent Rockets.