Islamabad, March 13, 2025: The player draft for The Hundred 2025 took place on March 12, but no Pakistani cricketers, male or female, were selected by any of the eight franchises.
According to details, despite 50 Pakistani players registering for the draft, including established T20 stars, none managed to attract bids.
The tournament management confirmed that a total of 270 domestic and 350 overseas players had entered the draft, with the competition set to begin on August 5.
While teams secured high-profile signings, Pakistani players were overlooked, marking the first time in the tournament’s four-year history that no male cricketer from Pakistan was picked.
Among those who went unsold were experienced players such as Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Saim Ayub, Imad Wasim, and Azam Khan.
Naseem Shah, the Dir-born pacer, had the highest reserve price among Pakistani players at £120,000, while Imad Wasim and Saim Ayub set theirs at £78,500.
Others, including newly appointed vice-captain Shadab Khan and right-arm pacers Hasan Ali and Mohammad Hasnain, had a reserve price of £63,000.
The exclusion has raised concerns about a possible ‘soft ban’ on Pakistani players, especially since several Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises now own teams in The Hundred.
Four teams—Oval Invincibles (Mumbai Indians), Manchester Originals (Lucknow Super Giants), Northern Superchargers (SunRisers Hyderabad), and Southern Brave (Delhi Capitals)—are fully or partially IPL-backed.
However, media reports suggest that the primary reason for the snub is Pakistan’s international commitments in the coming months.
The national team is scheduled to play ODIs and T20Is against the West Indies from late July to mid-August, overlapping with The Hundred (August 5-31).
There are also discussions about a potential T20I series against Afghanistan before the Asia Cup in September 2025.
With franchises hesitant to pick players with uncertain availability, the absence of Pakistani cricketers highlights ongoing challenges regarding their participation in global leagues.
