‘Player must not…’- MI London releases official statement on Pakistan players’ participation in The Hundred 2026

A week ago, reports claimed that the four franchises under Indian ownership in The Hundred 206 could skip buying Pakistan-born players for the next tournament. It has been a trend in these sorts of events where Pakistani players cannot participate in the league, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), the SA20, or a significant portion of the International League T20 (ILT20). 

Due to the situation, the England Cricket Board (ECB) has released an official statement, which has been forwarded by the MI London franchise, as they reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that the game continues to evolve and no player is judged on their nationality.

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“The England and Wales Cricket Board and all eight of The Hundred team franchises reaffirm their commitment to ensuring The Hundred continues to be a competition that’s inclusive, welcoming and open to all. The Players must not be excluded on the grounds of their nationality. All eight teams commit to selection being based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team.” MI London revealed the statement.

The Hundred franchises and ECB release statement on Pakistan players’ participation

It’s noteworthy that no Pakistan player was part of the league in the previous edition due to not getting picked for their skills, while only a handful of Pakistan players have featured in the tournament over the years. The auction will reflect a perfect picture of the situation a couple of weeks later.

“The Hundred was established to reach new audiences, grow the game of cricket and ensure that everyone – regardless of their ethnicity, gender, faith, nationality or other – can feel they belong in our sport. This has been a guiding principle from the outset and remains at the heart of everything we do.” ECB gave the statement.

“As the governing body responsible for running the tournament, the ECB is committed to ensuring there is no place for discrimination, and has regulations in place to take robust action to tackle any such conduct. Players must not be excluded on the grounds of their nationality.” The board addressed.