Michael Vaughan has urged the England and Wales Cricket Board to intervene following reports that four IPL linked teams will not consider Pakistani players for The Hundred.
The ECB sold its 49 per cent stake in each of the eight teams before the 2026 season. Half of the competition’s teams are now at least part owned by Indian Premier League franchises. Manchester Super Giants, MI London and Sunrisers Leeds have been rebranded in line with associated global franchises.
No Pakistani player has featured in the IPL since 2009 amid political tensions between India and Pakistan. Reports from the BBC and The Telegraph state that Hundred teams owned or part owned by IPL controlling companies will avoid signing Pakistani players amid concerns over political reaction.
Similar patterns have emerged in other competitions. No Pakistan players have appeared in South Africa’s SA20, where all six teams are owned by IPL groups. In the UAE’s ILT20, franchises linked to the owners of MI London and Southern Brave have not signed a Pakistan player across four seasons.
Vaughan responded publicly and called for immediate action from the governing body.
In response to The Telegraph’s article on X, Vaughan wrote: “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.”
The ECB retains overall control of The Hundred despite the sale of equity in the teams. A new board including team representatives has been established to shape strategy. The competition also falls under the authority of the independent cricket regulator created after the 2023 Equity in Cricket report identified widespread discrimination in the English game.
ECB chief executive Richard Gould has previously stated that the competition has clear anti discrimination policies and said he expected players from all antions to be selected for all teams.
A spokesperson for the ECB said: “The Hundred welcomes men’s and women’s players from all over the world and we would expect the eight teams to reflect that in The Hundred Auction.
“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.”
England white ball captain Harry Brook, who is the leading figure at Sunrisers Leeds, said exclusion would damage the competition.
“Pakistan have been a great cricket nation for many years and have some awesome players, some of the best players in the world. I think there’s about 50 or 60 players in the auction and it would be a shame to not see some of them in there.
“There’s some amazing cricketers and they bring some 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 was quoted by the BBC.
