Sahibzada Farhan keen to feature in The Hundred amid threat of IPL-linked teams ignoring Pakistani players

Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan on Monday side-stepped queries on the speculation that players of his country would be ignored by at least four Indian-owned franchises in the ‘The Hundred’ auction, saying that the matter is beyond their control.

Manchester Super Giants (RPSG Group), MI London (Reliance), Southern Brave (GMR) and Sunrisers Leeds (Sun Group) are linked to team owners in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and according to reports in the British media, all of them would avoid Pakistani players.

“See, it’s not in our hands to decide who will pick us or not. That is not in our hands. Wherever we get a chance, those who are interested can pick us, and we are ready to play in that league,” Farhan said ahead of his team’s T20 World Cup Super Eight match against England in Pallekele on Tuesday.

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“And we are not interested in playing with the people—the way you have spoken,” said Farhan when asked about Pakistan players not being picked in franchise leagues around the world with strong IPL ties.

“I have a lot of hope, every player wants to play for every league, and The Hundred is one of the best leagues. So, I hope for the best,” he added.

As many as 67 male and female cricketers from Pakistan, including almost the entire men’s T20 World Cup squad, have registered for The Hundred.

Several Pakistan players, including Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf, have featured in the tournament.

The IPL has not featured Pakistani players since the 26/11 terrorist attacks in 2008.

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No Pakistan cricketer has featured in the SA20 since its launch in 2023, with all six teams owned by franchise groups linked to the IPL.

Similarly, in the UAE’s ILT20, franchises controlled by the owners of MI London and Southern Brave have not signed a single Pakistan player across four seasons.

England captain Harry Brook had earlier said that it would be a shame if Pakistan cricketers did not take part in the competition.

“There are some amazing cricketers and, yeah, they bring some great crowds as well. So, it would be a shame to not see some of the Pakistan players in there and make the tournament and competition even better,” Brook had said last week.

The upcoming season of The Hundred is scheduled from July 21 to August 16, while the players’ auction is slated for Match 11 and 12.

Published on Feb 23, 2026