Pakistan star reacts to potential Hundred exclusion amid rising tensions with India

Pakistani cricketer Sahibzada Farhan has expressed a pragmatic view regarding the potential exclusion of his compatriots from The Hundred, despite a recent report suggesting Indian-owned teams would not consider them.

His comments come as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) issued a stern warning against discrimination based on nationality.

A BBC report last week sent shockwaves through the cricketing world, alleging that four India-owned franchises – MI London, Manchester Super Giants, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds – would not select any Pakistani players for the upcoming auction.

In response, the ECB stated on Sunday that disciplinary action would be taken against any of the eight franchises found to be ignoring players due to their nationality.

Farhan, one of 13 players from Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad entering next month’s auction, remained philosophical.

He said: "This is not in our hands who picks us or who doesn’t. Whichever team is interested in picking us can and we are ready to play in that league. It’s not like people are not interested in us."

Former captain Babar Azam and reserve opener Fakhar Zaman are notable exceptions, not entering the auction.

Geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan have long cast a shadow over cricket, notably with an effective blanket ban on Pakistani players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009.

This squeeze on opportunities has intensified as several IPL owners have acquired domestic franchises abroad, including in South Africa’s SA20 and the ILT20 in the United Arab Emirates.

Last year’s Hundred auction saw no Pakistani players initially selected, though left-arm seamer Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim later featured as replacements.

This was largely attributed to Pakistan’s busy summer schedule, which rendered high-profile players unavailable for parts of the tournament – a situation that mirrors the current year.

Pakistan is scheduled to play two Tests in the West Indies during The Hundred, which runs from 21 July to 16 August.

They are then set to face England in the first of three Tests just three days after The Hundred final, further complicating player availability.

Despite these challenges, Farhan, the leading run-scorer at the World Cup, remains optimistic about being selected at the auction on 11-12 March.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s Super 8 clash with England in Pallekele, he added: "I’m very hopeful. Every player wants to play every league, play in the good leagues. The Hundred is one of the best leagues. So I hope for the best."

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