Pakistan opener Farhan ‘hopeful’ of Hundred call amid uncertainty around how IPL ownership will affect recruitment

Farhan, who is among more than 950 players to have registered for the Hundred’s auction in March, has listed his base price at £50,000 (US$67,500). His T20 star has risen exponentially over the past six months after stellar showings at the T20 Asia Cup last year, as well as the ongoing T20 World Cup, where he is the tournament’s highest-scorer.

But Farhan’s involvement at the Hundred could potentially be complicated by the ownership structures of teams, with four IPL franchises involved: Mumbai Indians (MI London), Lucknow Super Giants (Manchester Super Giants), Sunrisers Hyderabad (Sunrisers Leeds) and Delhi Capitals (Southern Brave).

The IPL has not seen a Pakistani player signed since the first season, with India-Pakistan relations taking a downturn following terror attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. IPL-owned sides in other leagues have largely eschewed Pakistani players. At the ILT20 auction last year, American-owned Desert Vipers were the only franchise in the league without Indian ownership, and the only one to sign any Pakistan players. It allowed them to sign four players at their base price, and they went on to win the title.

Vikram Banerjee, the Hundred’s managing director, wrote to the eight franchises this weekend to remind them that selection decisions should be based on merit and that any evidence of discrimination would prompt disciplinary action.

“It’s not in our hands who picks us and who doesn’t,” Farhan said, speaking at a press conference ahead of Pakistan’s Super Eight clash against England. “Wherever we get an opportunity and whoever is interested can pick us. We’re ready to play that league, and where people aren’t interested is [not something we focus on].”

Only nine Pakistani players have featured in the first five seasons of the Hundred, with teams often reluctant to sign them on account of clashes with international fixtures and a handful of high-profile, late-notice withdrawals, most notably Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah in 2024. This year, the Hundred is set to clash with Pakistan’s two-match Test tour of the West Indies, with the series expected to start in late July.

Farhan added: “I am hopeful of being picked up. Everyone wants to play the best leagues. The Hundred is one of the best leagues. Let’s hope for the best.”

Over the last year, geopolitical relations between Pakistan and India have sunk to new depths following a brief skirmish between the two nations in May 2025.

The BBC reported last week that no IPL-owned Hundred teams will bid for Pakistani players at the auction, citing messages from a “senior official” at the ECB to an agent. The ECB says it has not been shown the messages in question and pushed back against the story, but the former England allrounder Moeen Ali called for players to “speak up” if the trend from other leagues extends into the Hundred.

“It’s time for a solution, because it’s not fair,” Moeen told the Telegraph. “It’s obviously discriminating against certain types of people. It’s horrible.

“I just find it strange that no one really talks about it too much. Especially at the top, no one really mentions it. People have not been speaking about it so they don’t get in trouble.”

Moeen did not play in the Hundred last year due to his commitments overseas but has put himself forward for next month’s auction. He suggested that, by speaking publicly on the subject, he may jeopardise his own future earnings.

“It’s such a difficult one, because all these teams are everywhere in every league,” he said. “So now if players speak out, or if they say anything, then it affects their career. It’s a difficult position for players to be in. When you’re an older player like myself, you don’t really care too much.”

Additional reporting by Matt Roller

1815 GMT – This story was updated with details of the ECB’s letter to franchises and Moeen Ali’s comments

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