'Players must not be excluded' - ECB and Hundred teams reaffirm inclusivity commitment

The England and Wales Cricket Board and all eight Hundred franchises have vowed no player should be excluded from the competition on grounds of their nationality.

The BBC reported earlier this week that the four Indian-owned franchises in the competition - Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds - would not consider signing Pakistan players due to ongoing tensions between the countries.

The update comes after the ECB wrote to every team in The Hundred to remind them of their responsibilities around discrimination ahead of March's player auction, with all parties reaffirming their commitment to an exclusive competition that is welcoming to all.

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"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. This has been a guiding principle from the outset and remains at the heart of everything we do," an ECB statement read.

"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. Players must not be excluded on the grounds of their nationality.

"All eight teams commit to selection being based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team.

"This reflects the broader commitment of the ECB to make cricket the most inclusive sport, creating opportunities, breaking down barriers and ensuring that players from all backgrounds have a fair and equal pathway to the top of the game.

"We want The Hundred to feature the very best talent from across the world, and will continue working proactively to ensure that the competition is a benchmark for inclusivity."

A total of 67 Pakistan players - 63 men and four women - have submitted themselves for the auction across March 11-12 in London, including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah.

Two Pakistan players - Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim - featured in the 2025 edition of The Hundred, which was the last before private investment.

The four sides without IPL affiliation are London Spirit, Birmingham Phoenix, Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire.

There has effectively been a blanket ban on Pakistan players appearing in the IPL since 2009, while few have also appeared in other franchise leagues with Indian owners.

England white-captain Harry Brook, who will play for the Indian-owned Sunrisers this summer, was asked on Saturday about reports of Pakistani cricketers being excluded from The Hundred, which will run from July 21 to August 16.

Brook, currently leading England at the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, said: "Pakistan have been a great cricket nation for many years. 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 make this tournament and competition even better."