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ECB & The Hundred franchises release joint statement Moeen Ali revolt warning; Will India based franchises allow them?
The issue gained significant traction after England captain Harry Brook described the potential exclusion as a "shame," while veteran all rounder Moeen Ali warned of a collective player protest.
Following growing concerns and public warnings from high profile cricketers, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and all eight franchises of The Hundred have issued a definitive joint statement. The move comes amid reports suggesting that Pakistani players might face a snub from franchises owned by Indian Premier League (IPL) investors. The governing body and the teams have formally assured that the upcoming auction will be conducted solely on the basis of cricketing merit.
The Spark of the Controversy
The issue gained significant traction after England captain Harry Brook described the potential exclusion as a "shame," while veteran all rounder Moeen Ali warned of a collective player protest. Moeen specifically pointed to the four franchises with Indian ownership: Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds.
Moeen Ali expressed his concerns to Telegraph Sport, stating: "In the UK, I'm not sure that can happen and I hope it doesn't happen. It just shouldn't happen, hopefully it won't happen. We just have to wait and see if it does, but I think it'd be a massive shame, and I'm sure the ECB will definitely keep an eye out."
He further added: "There'll be a group of players that will speak up. There'll be things done about it. I think players should speak up. Anyone that has any sort of concern for these kind of things it doesn't matter if they have Pakistani heritage should speak up. Obviously, the news is very new. So I've not really had a chance to speak to anyone, but most of the players would be on the same page. It'd be really interesting to see what happens, because I genuinely think other countries can do what they want, obviously we're not in control of those things, but in the UK, we have a bit more say about these things."
The Official Joint Statement
In response to these anxieties, the ECB and the franchises released the following comprehensive statement:
The England and Wales Cricket Board and all eight of The Hundred team franchises reaffirm their commitment to ensuring The Hundred continues to be a competition that is inclusive, welcoming and open to all. The Hundred was established to reach new audiences, grow the game of cricket and ensure that everyone – regardless of their ethnicity, gender, faith, nationality or other can feel they belong in our sport. This has been a guiding principle from the outset and remains at the heart of everything we do.
The statement continued: "As the governing body responsible for running the tournament, the ECB is committed to ensuring there is no place for discrimination, and has regulations in place to take robust action to tackle any such conduct. Players must not be excluded on the grounds of their nationality. All eight teams commit to selection being based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team."
The governing body concluded by stating their desire for the competition to feature the "very best talent from across the world" and to serve as a "benchmark for inclusivity."
Registration Figures and Player Interest
Despite the political tensions surrounding the ownership of certain teams, interest from Pakistan remains at an all time high. A total of 67 Pakistani players have registered for the upcoming auction, consisting of 63 men and four women. Among the registrants is Sahibzada Farhan, the current leading run scorer of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, who has publicly expressed his desire to participate in the tournament.
In the previous edition, the competition featured two prominent Pakistani cricketers, Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim. The ECB’s proactive stance aims to ensure that the sixth season of the tournament maintains its integrity as a global league where performance dictates participation.
Source: ZeeNews
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