The player draft for The Hundred 2025 took place on March 12, but no Pakistani players were selected for either the men’s or women’s teams. Several well-known Pakistani cricketers registered for the draft, but none managed to attract interest from franchises for the upcoming edition of the tournament.

The Hundred 2025 will feature several high-profile players after franchise sales during the off-season. A total of 270 domestic and 350 overseas players registered for the draft, with the tournament set to begin on August 5. A wildcard draft will take place in May, allowing teams to add two more players.

Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Amir Among Unsold Players

A total of 50 Pakistani players registered for The Hundred 2025 draft—five for the women’s draft and 45 for the men’s. Top T20 stars like Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Saim Ayub, Imad Wasim, and Azam Khan were on the men’s list.

None of the eight franchises selected any Pakistani players, raising concerns given the depth of talent. Pakistan’s women’s cricketers have previously struggled to secure contracts in the league. This is the first time in the tournament’s four-year history that no male players from Pakistan were picked.

Naseem Shah entered the draft with the highest reserve price among Pakistani players at £120,000. Imad Wasim and Saim Ayub set their base price at £78,500, while Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, and Mohammad Hasnain listed at £63,000.

Mohammad Amir and Azam Khan had a reserve price of £52,000, while several others, including Mohammad Abbas and Haider Ali, registered without a set price.

Pakistan Players’ Absence from The Hundred 2025 Raises Concerns

The absence of Pakistani players from The Hundred 2025 has sparked concerns about a possible ‘soft ban,’ especially after several Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises invested in teams before the season. Pakistani cricketers have been excluded from the IPL since the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai.

Four teams in The Hundred—Oval Invincibles (Mumbai Indians), Manchester Originals (Lucknow Super Giants), Northern Superchargers (SunRisers Hyderabad), and Southern Brave (Delhi Capitals)—are partially or fully owned by IPL teams. Even in South Africa’s SA20 league, no Pakistani player has featured.

Revealed: Why Pakistani Players Were Not Picked in The Hundred 2025 Draft?

According to a report by Wisden, the main reason no Pakistani men’s players were selected in The Hundred 2025 draft is due to international commitments.

Pakistan is scheduled to play ODIs and T20Is against the West Indies from late July to mid-August, clashing with The Hundred (August 5-31). They might also play a T20I series against Afghanistan before the Asia Cup begins in September.

Franchises are generally hesitant to pick players with uncertain schedules. Last year, Shaheen Shah Afridi withdrew from The Hundred citing personal reasons but later attempted to play in Canada’s Global T20.

However, the PCB denied his NOC, raising further concerns about Pakistani players’ participation in overseas leagues.

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