England’s Harry Brook celebrates with the trophy after profitable the sequence. — Reuters/File
England captain Harry Brook mentioned on Saturday that it will be “a shame” if Pakistani gamers have been shut out of England’s home white-ball Hundred competitors by Indian-owned franchises.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan on Friday urged the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to “act fast” on BBC stories that Pakistani gamers might be “overlooked” within the participant public sale subsequent month.
Forward of England’s opening Tremendous Eights conflict in opposition to Sri Lanka in Kandy on Sunday, Brook — who will play for Indian-owned Sunrisers Leeds within the Hundred this yr — was requested concerning the concern.
“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,” mentioned Brook.
“But what I would say is Pakistan have been a great cricket nation for many years.”
Lengthy-standing political tensions between India and Pakistan have led to the border rivals solely enjoying one another in worldwide cricket occasions.
Their Colombo showdown on the ongoing T20 World Cup solely went forward after Pakistan known as off a threatened boycott.
“I think there’s about 50, 60 players in the auction, and it would be a shame to not see some of them in there,” mentioned Brook.
“There’s some amazing cricketers and, yeah, and they bring some great crowds as well.
“So it will be a disgrace to not see among the Pakistan gamers in there and make the match and competitors even higher.”
The newly renamed Sunrisers Leeds is owned by Indian conglomerate Sun Group, one of four of the eight Hundred franchises with connections to the Indian Premier League.
The others are Manchester Super Giants, Southern Brave and MI London.
It has been claimed that politics has also led to an effective ban on Pakistani players participating in the Indian Premier League since 2009.
The ECB has been unable to substantiate the BBC allegations, but former England captain Vaughan called for the governing body to investigate the issue thoroughly.
Vaughan referred to the ECB’s stated aim of cricket becoming the most inclusive sport in the country.
“The ECB must act quick on this… they personal the league and this shouldn’t be allowed to occur… probably the most inclusive sport within the nation isn’t one that enables this to occur,” Vaughan posted on X.
An ECB spokesperson mentioned: “The Hundred welcomes men’s and women’s players from all over the world and we would expect the eight teams to reflect that.”
Solely two Pakistan internationals — Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim —appeared in final yr’s Hundred, the ultimate version earlier than new traders grew to become concerned.
