Arabic version: هاري بروك ينتقد استبعاد لاعبي باكستان من بطولة المئة

England’s limited-overs captain Harry Brook expressed disappointment over the potential exclusion of Pakistan players from this year’s The Hundred tournament. According to BBC News, sources indicate that the four Indian-owned franchises are not considering Pakistan players for the auction scheduled for March 11 and 12.

Brook, who has joined the Indian-owned Sunrisers Leeds and is set to be the tournament’s highest-paid player with a fee of £465,000, emphasized the significance of Pakistani cricketers. “Pakistan have been a great cricket nation for many years and have 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,” he remarked.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has reportedly signaled limited interest in Pakistani players from franchises linked to the Indian Premier League (IPL). Four of the eight teams in The Hundred are partially owned by IPL franchises, which has raised concerns about the inclusion of players from Pakistan, who have not participated in the IPL since 2009 due to diplomatic issues.

Brook, who will not captain Sunrisers Leeds this season, stated he is focused on the upcoming T20 World Cup. He has left the leadership decisions to the head coach and management. Former England captain Michael Vaughan has urged the ECB to act swiftly, insisting that omitting players based on nationality should not be tolerated.

Despite the exclusion of Pakistani players from various franchise leagues, nearly 1,000 cricketers from 18 countries have registered for The Hundred auction, with significant representation from nations like Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. The four teams not owned by IPL franchises are Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Trent Rockets, and Welsh Fire.