Michael Vaughan Urges ECB To Stop IPL Owners From Blocking Pakistan Players In The Hundred

Intersection of cricket and international geopolitics has sparked a massive fresh controversy in England, with former national team captain Michael Vaughan calling for immediate intervention by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The burning issue? Widespread reports suggesting that Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise owners, who recently acquired massive stakes in the domestic English tournament "The Hundred," plan to systematically block the signing of Pakistani players in the upcoming 2026 player auction.

Unwritten Rule" of Exclusion

With the highly anticipated auction scheduled for March 11 and 12 in London, severe concerns are mounting over the future of Pakistani talent in the 100-ball competition. Historically, diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan have kept Pakistani cricketers out of the lucrative IPL since 2009. However, as IPL owners rapidly expand their global footprint, this exclusion has essentially morphed into an "unwritten rule" across multiple international leagues.

Currently, half of the eight franchises in The Hundred are at least partly owned by Indian conglomerates. Teams such as the Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds are now operating under the umbrella of major IPL ownership groups. Reports strongly indicate that these Indian-affiliated franchises will deliberately overlook the 63 Pakistani cricketers who have registered for the draft, effectively extending a political boycott onto English soil.

This concerning pattern is not entirely new. In South Africa's SA20 and the UAE's ILT20—where IPL owners control several teams—Pakistani players have been completely shut out from participating.

Michael Vaughan's Urgent Call to Action

Vaughan, well-known for his candid and unfiltered opinions, took to social media to express his profound outrage. He firmly demanded that the ECB step in immediately to protect the core integrity and inclusivity of English cricket.

"The ECB need to act fast on this... they own the league and this should not be allowed to happen. The most inclusive sport in the country is not one that allows this to happen," Vaughan boldly wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

His pointed comments highlight a rapidly growing discomfort among cricket purists regarding the sheer influence of private Indian investments in sovereign domestic leagues. Vaughan's argument is clear: while private owners possess recruitment autonomy, a tournament hosted and governed by the ECB absolutely must not succumb to external political agendas.

How Has the ECB Responded?

The ECB currently finds itself navigating a treacherous diplomatic minefield. The board recently sold 49% stakes in these franchises to inject much-needed capital into the English game, but this financial boost has clearly arrived with unforeseen baggage.

ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould previously stated that the league operates under strict "anti-discrimination policies" and expects players from all nations to receive fair opportunities. An ECB spokesperson recently reiterated this stance, noting that players from across the globe, including Pakistan, are officially on the auction longlist.

As the March auction rapidly approaches, all eyes will be locked on the drafting tables of the IPL-linked teams. If the boycott materializes, the ECB may be forced to choose between appeasing its deep-pocketed investors or upholding the inclusive values it actively promotes.