Will History Repeat Itself? Pakistan Players to Face Another Snub in The Hundred 2026?

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and all eight teams in The Hundred have clearly said that Pakistani players will be treated fairly in next month’s player auction. This statement came after a BBC report suggested that some teams with Indian co-owners might avoid picking Pakistani cricketers because of political tensions between India and Pakistan.

In response, MI London, the new name of Oval Invincibles and linked to the Mumbai Indians, shared the ECB’s message on its official channels to show its support. Other teams with Indian ownership connections include Manchester Super Giants, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds.

A total of 67 Pakistani players have signed up for the March 11–12 auction. In the past, only a small number of Pakistani cricketers have played in the men’s Hundred, with just two featuring last season. However, the ECB has stressed that all auction decisions will be based only on cricketing ability, not nationality.

Will Pakistan Players Play in The Hundred?

Due to the entire buzz around the Pakistan cricketers in Hundred, the ECB had to come up with an official statement to clear the growing rumours. However, a look at past seasons shows that Pakistani players have never had a strong presence in The Hundred. Even before franchises linked to one of the richest cricket leagues in the world, the Indian Premier League became part of the setup, and only a small number of cricketers from Pakistan were selected.

Across the first five editions of the tournament, when there was no Indian ownership involved, just nine Pakistani players managed to feature. So the numbers were already quite low, and a similar situation might occur after the 2026 Hundred Auction. Even after all the debate around inclusivity, not many Pakistani cricketers are likely to be picked due to the current T20 form of their marquee names, such as Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Will Pakistan Players Get Snubbed Like IPL Auction 2010?

There is a lot of debate around Pakistan players in Hundred, notably a similar situation occurred way back in 2010 during the Indian Premier League Auction. Seven Pakistani cricketers were shortlisted for the auction after the ban on their participation was removed. Players from Pakistan were banned from the tournament following the political tensions that arose after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which led to their exclusion from the 2009 season. However, they were cleared to return and became eligible for selection again.

Interestingly, none of the seven Pakistan players in IPL auction was picked by the franchises, and their boycott was clearly evident. So, after all the statements made by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) regarding inclusivity, the Pakistan cricketers might just face a similar result by the Hundred franchises, especially the ones with Indian connections, and that reaction could be solely due to the mediocre T20 performance of the majority of these players.