No Pakistan players managed to secure contracts in the women’s auction for The Hundred held on Wednesday, March 11. Left-handed batter Muneeba Ali, pacer Diana Baig, left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal and Pakistan captain Fatima Sana had entered the auction with a base price of £15,000 each.
Of the four, only Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal — currently the top-ranked bowler in Women’s T20Is — made it to the final shortlist. However, neither player’s name came up during the bidding, leaving all four Pakistan cricketers unsold and without deals for the upcoming season of the 100-ball tournament.
The development comes amid earlier reports suggesting that franchises with links to the Indian Premier League might refrain from signing Pakistani players. The speculation triggered debate in cricket circles, with Harry Brook among those commenting on the issue. In response, the England and Wales Cricket Board and franchises associated with The Hundred maintained that nationality would not influence selections, stating that decisions would be based solely on form, availability and team balance.
Focus Shifts to Men’s Auction
Attention now turns to the men’s auction for The Hundred scheduled for Thursday, March 12. While 63 Pakistani players had originally registered, only 14 have been shortlisted for the final bidding round.
Among the biggest names are fast bowlers Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, along with all-rounders Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub, all listed with a base price of £100,000.
Other shortlisted players include Abrar Ahmed (£75,000), Mohammad Amir and Zaman Khan (both £75,000). Imad Wasim and Usama Mir have set their base price at £50,000, while Akif Javed and Salman Mirza have registered with a base price of £31,000.
Several Pakistani players have featured in the tournament before. Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi previously represented Welsh Fire, while Imad Wasim played for Trent Rockets. Mohammad Amir earlier turned out for MI London, and Shadab Khan represented Birmingham Phoenix. Leg-spinner Usama Mir has also appeared for Manchester Super Giants in a previous season.
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