Michael Vaughan demands ECB action over IPL-linked teams ‘not considering Pakistan players’ for The Hundred

Michael Vaughan has called for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to take action following reports that four IPL-linked teams will not be considering Pakistani players for their teams in The Hundred.

The ECB sold their 49% stake in each of the eight teams participating in The Hundred before the start of the 2026 season and now half of the teams in the tournament are at least part-owned by Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises. Three of those teams, Manchester Super Giants, MI London, and Sunrisers Leeds, have also been rebranded to bring them more in line with their counterparts in other franchise leagues.

The IPL has not selected any Pakistani players since 2009 amid ongoing tensions between the two countries and reports from the BBC and The Telegraph say that The Hundred teams part or fully-owned by companies that control IPL teams will not recruit Pakistani players for fear of political backlash.

It is a concerning trend seen in franchise leagues around the world with Indian-owned franchises. No Pakistan players have featured in South Africa's SA20, which launched in 2023 and where all six of its teams are owned by IPL franchise groups, while in the UAE's ILT20 franchises controlled by the owners of MI London and Southern Brave have not signed a Pakistan player across four seasons.

Former England captain Vaughan took to social media to voice his thoughts on the situation and called for the ECB to take urgent action and keep The Hundred an inclusive league.

In response to The Telegraph’s article on X, Vaughan wrote: “The ECB need to act fast on this. They own the league and this should not be allowed to happen. The most inclusive sport in the country is not one that allows this to happen.”

Vaughan’s assessment notes the ECB’s overall control of The Hundred and despite selling their stake in each of the eight teams that remains the case. The ECB retains control of the competition but a new board has been put in place featuring team representatives to help shape its strategic direction.

The Hundred is also subject to the jurisdiction of the independent cricket regulator which was established after the 2023 Equity in Cricket report found “widespread” discrimination in the English game.

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ECB chief executive Richard Gould explained that The Hundred had “clear anti-discrimination policies” and said last year that he expected “players from all antions to be selected for all teams.”

A spokesperson for the ECB 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 in The Hundred Auction.

“Almost 1,000 cricketers from 18 nations have registered for The Hundred Auction, with representation on the longlist of over 50 players respectively from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and West Indies.”