Indian-owned franchises in The Hundred cricket league will not consider picking Pakistani players in the auction, BBC reported on Thursday.
Indian Premier League (IPL) investors hold stakes in four of the eight The Hundred franchises: Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds.
The Pakistani players have not been picked in India’s marquee league since 2009 due to the diplomatic tensions between the two neighbouring countries.
According to a BBC report, a senior official of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) told an agent that franchises linked to IPL would not be interested in signing Pakistan players.
The report also indicated that another agent referred to the situation as “an unwritten rule” in T20 leagues with Indian investment.
Love sports updates on the go? Click here to follow us on WhatsApp Channel
Richard Gould, ECB chief executive, stated last year that “players from all nations to be selected for all teams” in The Hundred, stressing that “clear anti-discrimination policies” were in place.
An ECB spokesperson said: “The Hundred welcomes men’s and women’s players from all over the world, and we would expect the eight teams to reflect that.
“Almost 1,000 cricketers from 18 nations have registered in the auction, with representation on the longlist of over 50 players respectively from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, and West Indies.”
Last season, before the new investors took control, Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim were part of the tournament, while Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf have also been part of the league in the past.
Pakistan players have also been excluded from the UAE’s ILT20, South Africa’s SA20, and the USA’s Major League Cricket (MLC) due to the majority of the team’s association with the Indian Premier League.
READ: Ex-Pakistan cricketer rips into Shadab over remarks on India defeat