ECB clarifies stance on Pakistan players' participation in the Hundred amid IPL investments

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recently secured private investments in each of the Hundred’s eight teams for an eye-watering total valuation of £975 million. Among the new investors are four Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises, who have bought stakes in as many Hundred teams. Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Lucknow Super Giants, and Sunrisers Hyderabad have successfully purchased stakes of Oval Invincibles, Southern Brave, Manchester Originals, and Northern Superchargers respectively.

Additionally, other Indian investors have entered the fold. Sanjay Govil, owner of the MLC team Washington Freedom, now holds a 50% stake in Welsh Fire, while Cricket Investor Holdings Limited, a consortium featuring Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, has secured a 49% stake in London Spirit, the team based out of the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.

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ECB assures IPL money will not affect Pakistani players in Hundred

With the influx of Indian investments, speculation arose about the participation of Pakistani players in the competition. Addressing these concerns, ECB chief executive Richard Gould assured that the new ownership structure would not impact Pakistani cricketers’ involvement in the Hundred.

“We’re aware of that in other regions but that won’t be happening here,” Gould said when asked if IPL links in the Hundred will affect Pakistani players’ involvement in the league.

While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has never officially barred Pakistan players from leagues linked to IPL franchises, teams have generally followed an unwritten policy of exclusion. The SA20, where all six teams are IPL-owned, has not included any Pakistani players since its inception. Similarly, ILT20 and MLC teams with IPL ownership have seen little to no participation from Pakistan cricketers.

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The recent sale of the Hundred teams sparked concerns about the Pakistani players’ involvement. However, the ECB’s stance has ensured that the tournament will remain open to talent from Pakistan despite the presence of IPL-backed investors.

Meanwhile, the ECB representative also said that the board does not expect Indian players to participate in the league despite IPL investments.

“In terms of availability to Indian players, that is not priced in with our plans. The BCCI’s position has been very clear. At some point we’d love to see Indian players come and play in England. We currently see them obviously in bilaterals and actually quite a lot in county cricket. But that’s not something that we have predetermined through this process.”