England captain Harry Brook said it would be a shame if Pakistani players were overlooked at next month’s auction for The Hundred amid reports that teams with Indian influence may not bid for them.
According to the BBC, four of the eight teams in The Hundred now have stakes owned by Indian Premier League franchise owners and will not bid for Pakistani players during the auction in March. A player agent described the situation as an unwritten rule across leagues with Indian investment.
Brook, who Sunrisers Leeds retained for £465,000 as the league’s highest-paid player, said the matter was beyond his control. He previously led the franchise when it was known as Northern Superchargers, but has stated he will not be in contention for a leadership role this year.
“My main focus at the minute is to play the T20 World Cup,” Brook said on the eve of England’s first Super 8s match against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. “Pakistan has been a great cricket nation for many years and has some awesome players, some of the best players in the world. It would be a shame not to see some of them in The Hundred.”
The franchises part-owned by IPL entities are Manchester Super Giants, Southern Brave, MI London, and Sunrisers Leeds. The ownership structure came into effect on October 1, 2025.
No Pakistani player has featured in the IPL since 2008. They have also been absent from the SA20 and the ILT20 under Indian owned franchises. Former England captain Michael Vaughan urged the England and Wales Cricket Board to ensure inclusion, saying exclusion would undermine the tournament’s commitment to inclusivity.
The Hundred auction is scheduled for March 11 for women and March 12 for men.