Even though the selections for the first The 100 auction are not in players’ control, leading Pakistani batter Sahibzada farhan expressed his optimism to play at this upcoming event.
Pakistani Players Participate in The Hundred
Farhan is one of over 60 Pakistani players who registered to participate in the auction next month. While T20 franchises have shown interest in the auction, he acknowledged they cannot control who picks players.
He said: “Whoever picks us, can. It’s not because there’s no interest in Pakistani athletes.
IPL-Owned franchises and political tensions
The Indian Premier League has not included Pakistani cricketers due to the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. The trend is also affecting IPL owned teams around the world.
Following a recent sale of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) stakes in franchises like MI London and Manchester Super Giants and Southern Brave, these teams now own IPL shares. Trent Rockets are not IPL teams. They include London Spirit, Birmingham Phoenix and Welsh Fire.
Farhan’s recent form and auction base price
Farhan, who is currently the T20 World Cup‘s leading scorer, scored a 100 against Namibia during the group stages. He has set the base price at PS50,000 for this auction. This is less than half of what other players are asking.
He said, “I’m very optimistic.” Every player wants to play in the top leagues. “The Hundred is one the best leagues, so I wish for the best result.”
There are other Pakistani players in the auction
13 members of Pakistan’s 15-man T20 World Cup team have signed up for the auction. The absence of Fakhar Azman the batsman, and Babar Azam the former captain is likely to be due to their Test squad commitments.
The Hundred is a competition for players with the most experience and the highest starting price. Players such as Shaheen Rauf and Saim Adub are at this level because they have a base of PS100,000.
ECB Encourages Franchise Inclusivity
Harry Brook , the captain of England commented recently that it was a shame if Pakistani footballers were not included. The ECB has reminded the eight franchises about their responsibilities in regards to discrimination.
The anticipation about how many Pakistani players are going to be in The Hundred is heightened by the fact that Pakistan will play England at the World T20 Cup on Tuesday in Sri Lanka.
