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Cricket politics again

PAKISTAN might have gone ahead with their Twenty20 World Cup clash against India but clearly there is little love lost between the two countries, especially when it comes to cricket.

Reports emanating from England this week suggest that Indian-owned franchises in The Hundred competition will not pick Pakistan players at next month’s auction amid concerns over a potential backlash in India due to ongoing tensions between the two. It is yet another case of politics spilling into cricket, but this time it is happening far away from the region, and in a competition India does not control.

The Hundred is the English Cricket Board’s flagship tournament — just like the Pakistan Super League is for the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Indian Premier League for the Board of Control for Cricket in India. But Indian investors — mostly IPL team owners — have poured money in four Hundred franchises — Manchester Super Giants, Mumbai Indians London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds.

Pakistan players have never been picked in South Africa’s SA20, where all six teams are owned by groups linked to the IPL. Indian owners of teams in the UAE’s ILT20 have also avoided signing Pakistan players. Naturally, it seems the four franchises in The Hundred will follow suit despite a total of 63 Pakistani cricketers — including almost the entire men’s T20 World Cup squad — entering the auction, while four players have registered for the women’s auction.

England’s T20 skipper Harry Brook said on Saturday that it would be a shame if Pakistan cricketers were not picked, while former captain Michael Vaughan asserted it made no sense for Indian-owned franchises to not sign Pakistan players when both sides play each other at global events.

The ECB has vowed a no-discrimination policy and must conform to it. Pakistan refused to play India at the ongoing T20 World Cup and only changed its mind in view of the game’s greater good. It is time for India to reciprocate.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2026



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