A total of 13 players from Pakistan registered for the 2026 auction of The Hundred, but only two players were eventually picked, leaving the vast majority of the country's hopeful prospects without contracts. The outcome quickly became a talking point among fans on social media, particularly given the stature of some of the players overlooked.
The only two players picked were mystery spinners, with Abrar Ahmed becoming the second-highest paid foreigner, signing for £190,000 with Sunrisers Leeds while Usman Tariq joined Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000.
However, several prominent names went unsold, including speedster Haris Rauf, who entered with a £100,000 base price, alongside Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub.
Star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi withdrew from the draft just hours before the auction.
Why Did So Many Pakistani Players Go Unsold?
Several factors are believed to have influenced this outcome.
One key issue is availability as Pakistan are scheduled to tour the West Indies for a white-ball series during the July-August window. With The Hundred starting from July 21, it would mean players could be unavailable in the group stages.
Another limitation is the overseas quota. Each team in The Hundred can sign only four overseas players, meaning just 32 spots across the eight-team competition.
There was also speculation about the influence of IPL-linked ownership leading to a ‘Shadow Ban' on Pakistani players with four of the eight franchises now having links to IPL owners.
However, that was put to rest by Sunrisers Leeds, who's owners are the owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad, making Ahmed the second-highest paid overseas player in the league.
Fans React To Haris Rauf And Others Going Unsold
The outcome quickly divided opinion online, with many fans questioning how experienced T20 names such as Rauf and Shadab Khan failed to secure deals as some fans felt the outcome reflected factors beyond cricketing merit.
One user brought up Rauf's stats in the competition to rasie the question of why he was snubbed.
Others meanwhile pointed out to the fact that Abrar and Tariq elicited a lot of interest, which proves that performances win you contracts.
Another user said it could be a reflection of need for more quality spinners rather than pacers in the format.
Former Indian cricketer, Ajay Jadeja meanwhile addressed rumours of a 'shadow ban' by asking why there were no bids from the four franchises which aren't linked to Indian ownership.
While one user noted how this is a reflection of Pakistan cricket's downfall, hoping the BCCI wouldn't be blamed for the same.
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