NEW DELHI: The Hundred Draft witnessed a notable absence of Pakistani cricketers, with none of the 50 players from the country receiving bids. This development has sparked discussions and raised questions about the potential factors contributing to this outcome.
Among the Pakistani contingent, prominent names such as Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, and Shadab Khan, who were placed in the top price brackets, failed to attract any bidders.
Naseem and Shadab were listed in the highest category of GBP 120,000, while Ayub positioned himself in the GBP 78,500 segment. Similarly, the female cricketers from Pakistan, including Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana, Yusra Amir, Iram Javed, and Jaweria Rauf, did not receive any offers.
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One potential reason cited for this lack of interest in Pakistani players is the involvement of Indian Premier League (IPL) owners in the Hundred teams.
Currently, four IPL franchises hold stakes in various Hundred teams, including Mumbai Indians in Oval Invincibles, Lucknow Super Giants in Manchester Originals, Sunrisers Hyderabad in Northern Superchargers, and Delhi Capitals in Southern Brave.
Additionally, Sanjay Govil, an Indian-American entrepreneur, has acquired a 50% stake in Welsh Fire, while Cricket Investor Holdings Limited, a consortium of Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs, has purchased a 49% stake in London Spirit.
While the influence of IPL owners cannot be discounted, another factor that may have contributed to the lack of bids for Pakistani cricketers is their modest form in white-ball formats.
The recent performances of these players in limited-overs cricket might have played a role in deterring potential buyers from investing in their services.
It is worth noting that last year, players like Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi faced challenges related to obtaining No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which ultimately curtailed their participation in the Hundred.
Such administrative hurdles could also have impacted the decision-making process of the teams during the draft.
