Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Fourteen Pakistani men’s cricketers have been included in the 247-player longlist for this year’s Hundred auction, putting the spotlight on whether the tournament’s Indian-owned franchises will bid for them amid reports of a potential “shadow ban.”
Fast bowler Haris Rauf headlines the Pakistan contingent after being placed in the “Marquee Players International” category with a top reserve price of £100,000. He is part of a high-profile group that also includes Aiden Markram, David Miller, Daryl Mitchell and Sunil Narine.
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SIX PAKISTAN PLAYERS IN TOP 50
Six Pakistan internationals feature in the top 50 “hero” list. Alongside Rauf, tier-one names include Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and spinner Usman Tariq. Tier-two entrants are Saim Ayub and Abrar Ahmed, with Ayub opting for the highest reserve price.
Pakistan has the most representatives of any overseas nation in the top 50, one more than South Africa.
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The remaining names on the men’s longlist are Muhammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, Zaman Khan, Akif Javed and Salman Mirza. Sahibzada Farhan, currently among the leading run-scorers at the T20 World Cup, is a notable absentee.
SHADOW BAN REPORTS AND ECB RESPONSE
The inclusion of 14 Pakistani players comes after a BBC report claimed that four franchises with ownership links to the Indian Premier League would not consider signing players from Pakistan because of geopolitical tensions.
Those teams are MI London, Sunrisers Leeds, Manchester Super Giants and Southern Brave.
The England and Wales Cricket Board and the Eight Hundred teams subsequently issued a joint statement stating that “no one will be excluded on the grounds of their nationality.” The ECB also reminded franchises that selection must be based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and team requirements.
AVAILABILITY AND CONTEXT
No Pakistan player secured a contract in the 2025 draft, the first time that has happened since the competition began in 2021. Fifty Pakistani cricketers had registered for that draft.
That outcome contrasted with previous seasons. In 2024, Naseem Shah (Birmingham Phoenix), Mohammad Amir (Oval Invincibles), Haris Rauf (Welsh Fire) and Usama Mir (Manchester Originals) featured in the tournament. Six Pakistan players, including Shadab Khan and Ihsanullah, played in 2023.
This year’s Hundred overlaps with a Pakistan Test series, which could affect the availability of some centrally contracted players.
With 14 Pakistani men in the auction pool and six in the top 50 bracket, attention will focus on how the bidding unfolds and whether the Indian-owned franchises enter the race for their signatures.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
