The 2025 draft for England’s The Hundred League took place at Lord’s on Wednesday, with not a single Pakistani player selected by any franchise.
A total of 50 Pakistani cricketers, including five women, had registered for the draft. However, none of them secured a place in any team.
Among the Pakistani women cricketers, Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana, Yasira Aamir, Iram Javed, and Javeria Rauf were part of the draft but remained unselected. Despite all 45 Pakistani players from the men’s draft, including some well-known names, being available, they went unsold despite foreign player slots being open in several teams.
Fast bowler Naseem Shah had the highest reserve price among Pakistani players at £120,000, while experienced all-rounder Imad Wasim and young batter Saim Ayub had a reserve price of £78,500. Other players, such as Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, and Mohammad Hasnain, were listed at £63,000, whereas several others, including Mohammad Abbas, Haider Ali, and Imad Butt, entered the draft without a set reserve price.
This season of The Hundred has witnessed major changes, as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has allowed external investment in the tournament. As a result, all eight franchises have secured investors, with four of them being owners of Indian Premier League (IPL) teams.
It is a well-known fact that since 2008, Pakistani players have not been allowed to participate in the IPL. However, reports indicate that IPL influence is not the reason why Pakistani players were snubbed in The Hundred. Instead, the uncertainty regarding their full availability for the tournament played a major role in their exclusion.
The Hundred 2025 is scheduled to run from August 5 to August 31. During this period, Pakistan is set to play three ODIs and T20Is against the West Indies from July 31 to August 12. Additionally, there is a possibility of a white-ball series against Bangladesh in July and August, which could further impact the availability of Pakistani players for The Hundred.
Last month, the ECB’s Chief Executive, Richard Gould, assured that Pakistani players would not face any restrictions in The Hundred due to IPL influence. He stated that while Pakistani players do face challenges in franchise leagues, their exclusion from The Hundred is not politically motivated.
