Teams in The Hundred with ownership links to Indian Premier League franchises are unlikely to recruit cricketers from Pakistan in the upcoming season, according to a new report that describes the situation as an “unwritten rule” across leagues with Indian investment.
The development follows the growing influence of IPL owners in global T20 competitions. Four of the eight Hundred teams now have direct or indirect backing from IPL franchises, a change that officially took effect in October 2025. Since then, player agents and officials suggest that Pakistan players are expected to attract interest mainly from teams without Indian ownership ties.
A report indicates that a senior England and Wales Cricket Board official has already informed an agent that opportunities for Pakistan players would be limited within IPL-linked franchises. Another agent reportedly described the pattern as an informal but widely understood practice in leagues involving Indian investors.
Pakistan cricketers have not appeared in the IPL since 2009 and have also never featured in South Africa’s SA20 league, where all six teams are owned by IPL franchises. While Pakistan players have participated in previous editions of The Hundred, including Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim last season, their involvement came before the latest round of investments.
When asked about squad selection, representatives from IPL-backed franchises maintained that their focus remains on building the strongest possible teams. Meanwhile, the ECB has reiterated that The Hundred is open to players from all cricketing nations and highlighted the diversity of the current auction longlist, which includes hundreds of players from more than a dozen countries.
Despite official assurances and anti-discrimination policies, the absence of Pakistan players from teams with Indian ownership has raised questions within the cricketing community. Player representatives and global unions have stressed that recruitment decisions should continue to reflect fairness equality and equal opportunity for all professionals.
