London, February 21, 2026: England captain Harry Brook on Saturday said it would be “a shame” if Pakistani players were excluded from England’s domestic white-ball tournament, The Hundred, amid reports that Indian-owned franchises may overlook them in next month’s player auction.
The remarks follow comments by former England skipper Michael Vaughan, who urged the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to “act fast” after a BBC report suggested Pakistani players could be sidelined during the auction.
Speaking ahead of England’s Super Eights clash against Sri Lanka national cricket team in Kandy at the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Brook said the team’s primary focus remained on the World Cup but acknowledged Pakistan’s stature in world cricket.
“Our main focus now is what’s coming up in the T20 World Cup. It’s not really any of our business, to be honest,” Brook said. “But what I would say is Pakistan have been a great cricket nation for many years.”
Brook, who is set to represent Sunrisers Leeds — a franchise owned by India’s Sun Group — added that excluding Pakistani players would diminish the competition.
“I think there’s about 50 or 60 players in the auction, and it would be a shame to not see some of them in there,” he said. “There’s some amazing cricketers, and they bring great crowds as well. It would make the tournament even better.”
Sunrisers Leeds is one of four franchises in The Hundred with links to the Indian Premier League (IPL). The others include Manchester Super Giants, Southern Brave and MI London.
Political tensions between India and Pakistan have long impacted cricketing ties, with the two sides meeting only in international tournaments in recent years. Pakistani players have not featured in the IPL since 2009, reportedly due to ongoing political strains.
While the ECB said it had been unable to substantiate the BBC’s claims, Vaughan called on the governing body to investigate thoroughly, referencing its stated goal of making cricket the most inclusive sport in England.
“The ECB need to act fast on this… they own the league and this should not be allowed to happen,” Vaughan wrote on X.
An ECB spokesperson said The Hundred welcomes players from around the world and expects all eight teams to reflect that inclusivity.
Only two Pakistan internationals — Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim — featured in last year’s edition of The Hundred, the final season before new investors became involved.
