Alright, so here’s the scoop: it’s March 13, 2025, and the cricket world’s buzzing about something that didn’t happen. The Hundred 2025 draft went down yesterday at Lord’s, and not a single Pakistani player got picked. Zip. Nada. Out of 45 blokes who threw their hats in the ring for the men’s comp, plus five women in the women’s draft, none made the cut. That’s a first for the men’s side in this tournament’s four-year run, and it’s got everyone asking: what’s going on? Is this just bad luck, or is there some sneaky “soft ban” at play? Let’s unpack it.
The Draft Day Snub
Picture this: 348 players from all over the globe are up for grabs, vying for just a handful of spots across eight franchises. Big names like David Warner snag £120,000 deals, Jamie Overton’s raking in £200,000, and even Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad lands a fat paycheck. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s finest Naseem Shah with his £120,000 reserve price, Imad Wasim and Saim Ayub at £78,500, Shadab Khan and Hasan Ali at £63,000 all walk away empty-handed. Even the lads without set prices, like Mohammad Abbas and Haider Ali, get the cold shoulder. Same story for the women Fatima Sana, Aliya Riaz, and the rest? No dice.
In years past, Pakistan’s had a decent showing. Usama Mir’s played 13 games for Manchester Originals, Haris Rauf’s racked up 12, Shaheen Afridi’s had a crack guys like Mohammad Amir and Shadab Khan have popped up too. So, this total shutout? It’s a head-scratcher. Posts on X are lighting up: “45 players, zero picks something’s fishy!” one fan yells. Another’s straight-up calling it: “Soft ban confirmed.” But is it really that simple?
The ‘Soft Ban’ Theory: IPL Shadows?
Here’s where the conspiracy hats come on. The Hundred’s gone through a big shake-up this year private investment’s rolled in, and four of the eight teams now have IPL franchise fingerprints on them. Oval Invincibles are tied to Mumbai Indians, Manchester Originals to Lucknow Super Giants, Northern Superchargers to SunRisers Hyderabad, and Southern Brave to Delhi Capitals. If that sounds familiar, it’s because Pakistani players haven’t sniffed the IPL since 2008, after the Mumbai terror attacks soured things. Then there’s South Africa’s SA20 league also IPL-backed where no Pakistani player’s ever cracked a squad in three seasons. Coincidence? Maybe not.
The whispers are loud: with Indian money in the mix, could there be an unwritten rule to keep Pakistani players out? It’s not hard to see why fans are connecting dots. One X post puts it bluntly: “IPL owners flexing their muscle no Pakistanis allowed.” Another’s raging: “Same story as SA20, Indian influence screwing us over.” It’s a juicy theory, especially with the BCCI’s clout in global cricket. But hold up there’s more to this than just geopolitics.
The Practical Side: Scheduling Nightmares
Before we go full tinfoil hat, let’s look at the boring stuff: logistics. The Hundred runs from August 5 to August 31, 2025, smack in the middle of a packed Pakistani cricket calendar. They’ve got three ODIs and three T20Is lined up in the West Indies from late July to mid-August dates that crash right into The Hundred’s window. Then there’s a possible T20I series against Afghanistan at home, and maybe even a white-ball gig with Bangladesh in July or August. Oh, and the Asia Cup kicks off in September, so prep camps will be chewing up time too.
Franchises hate uncertainty. Last year, Shaheen Afridi bailed on The Hundred, saying he wanted family time then popped up in Canada’s Global T20 league instead, only for the PCB to yank his No Objection Certificate (NOC). That kind of flip-flopping spooks teams. X posts are pointing this out too: “West Indies tour overlaps why risk it?” one says. Another adds: “PCB’s NOC games make them a gamble.” Wisden’s reporting the same vibe availability’s the real killer here, not some secret handshake.
ECB’s Line: No Ban, Just Business
ECB chair Richard Gould’s been out there swatting down the ban talk. Last month, he said, “We know how it goes elsewhere, but that’s not happening here.” The official line is that Pakistani players are welcome it’s just cricket math. With only a few overseas slots per team and a stacked pool of talent, tough calls get made. Australia’s got 70 players in the draft, South Africa 57, New Zealand 47 Pakistan’s 45 isn’t small, but it’s not special either. And when you’ve got stars like Warner or Rachin Ravindra guaranteed to show up, why bet on a maybe?
Still, the optics suck. No Indian men signed up BCCI’s rules but Deepti Sharma’s in for the women’s side. Pakistan’s total blanking feels personal, even if it’s not. The PCB’s not thrilled either they’ve been prickly lately, like with the Champions Trophy logo mess or their boss getting snubbed at the final. Could this be payback? Nah, that’s stretching it.
What’s It Mean for Pakistan Cricket?
This stings for Pakistani players. The Hundred’s a sweet gig big stage, decent cash, and a chance to rub shoulders with the best. Missing out hurts their wallets and their rep. Naseem Shah’s a proven gun, Imad’s a clutch all-rounder, Saim Ayub’s got buzz yet here they are, sidelined. X fans are gutted: “Our boys deserve better than this!” one writes. Another’s blunt: “Form’s shaky, sure, but zero picks? Brutal.”
Pakistan’s cricket’s been a rollercoaster lately early Champions Trophy exit, big names like Babar Azam and Shaheen dropped from T20Is. The PCB’s juggling workloads and NOCs like a circus act, and it’s not helping. Franchises might be thinking, “Are these guys even worth the hassle?” That’s a tough pill to swallow.
The Bigger Picture
So, soft ban or not? Probably not at least, not in the “IPL bosses said no” way. It’s more a perfect storm: dodgy timing, PCB red tape, and a brutal draft market. But the speculation won’t die it’s too easy a story. Indian investment’s a lightning rod, and Pakistan’s cricket isolation (real or not) keeps the rumor mill churning. X is split: some see a conspiracy, others just shrug, “That’s cricket.”
For now, The Hundred 2025 rolls on without Pakistan’s flair. Teams can still tweak squads in May’s wildcard draft, so there’s a slim chance yet. But this snub’s a wake-up call Pakistan’s players need consistency, and the PCB needs to sort its act out. Otherwise, these global leagues might keep passing them by, ban or no ban.
The Draft Day Snub
Picture this: 348 players from all over the globe are up for grabs, vying for just a handful of spots across eight franchises. Big names like David Warner snag £120,000 deals, Jamie Overton’s raking in £200,000, and even Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad lands a fat paycheck. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s finest Naseem Shah with his £120,000 reserve price, Imad Wasim and Saim Ayub at £78,500, Shadab Khan and Hasan Ali at £63,000 all walk away empty-handed. Even the lads without set prices, like Mohammad Abbas and Haider Ali, get the cold shoulder. Same story for the women Fatima Sana, Aliya Riaz, and the rest? No dice.
In years past, Pakistan’s had a decent showing. Usama Mir’s played 13 games for Manchester Originals, Haris Rauf’s racked up 12, Shaheen Afridi’s had a crack guys like Mohammad Amir and Shadab Khan have popped up too. So, this total shutout? It’s a head-scratcher. Posts on X are lighting up: “45 players, zero picks something’s fishy!” one fan yells. Another’s straight-up calling it: “Soft ban confirmed.” But is it really that simple?
The ‘Soft Ban’ Theory: IPL Shadows?
Here’s where the conspiracy hats come on. The Hundred’s gone through a big shake-up this year private investment’s rolled in, and four of the eight teams now have IPL franchise fingerprints on them. Oval Invincibles are tied to Mumbai Indians, Manchester Originals to Lucknow Super Giants, Northern Superchargers to SunRisers Hyderabad, and Southern Brave to Delhi Capitals. If that sounds familiar, it’s because Pakistani players haven’t sniffed the IPL since 2008, after the Mumbai terror attacks soured things. Then there’s South Africa’s SA20 league also IPL-backed where no Pakistani player’s ever cracked a squad in three seasons. Coincidence? Maybe not.
The whispers are loud: with Indian money in the mix, could there be an unwritten rule to keep Pakistani players out? It’s not hard to see why fans are connecting dots. One X post puts it bluntly: “IPL owners flexing their muscle no Pakistanis allowed.” Another’s raging: “Same story as SA20, Indian influence screwing us over.” It’s a juicy theory, especially with the BCCI’s clout in global cricket. But hold up there’s more to this than just geopolitics.
The Practical Side: Scheduling Nightmares
Before we go full tinfoil hat, let’s look at the boring stuff: logistics. The Hundred runs from August 5 to August 31, 2025, smack in the middle of a packed Pakistani cricket calendar. They’ve got three ODIs and three T20Is lined up in the West Indies from late July to mid-August dates that crash right into The Hundred’s window. Then there’s a possible T20I series against Afghanistan at home, and maybe even a white-ball gig with Bangladesh in July or August. Oh, and the Asia Cup kicks off in September, so prep camps will be chewing up time too.
Franchises hate uncertainty. Last year, Shaheen Afridi bailed on The Hundred, saying he wanted family time then popped up in Canada’s Global T20 league instead, only for the PCB to yank his No Objection Certificate (NOC). That kind of flip-flopping spooks teams. X posts are pointing this out too: “West Indies tour overlaps why risk it?” one says. Another adds: “PCB’s NOC games make them a gamble.” Wisden’s reporting the same vibe availability’s the real killer here, not some secret handshake.
ECB’s Line: No Ban, Just Business
ECB chair Richard Gould’s been out there swatting down the ban talk. Last month, he said, “We know how it goes elsewhere, but that’s not happening here.” The official line is that Pakistani players are welcome it’s just cricket math. With only a few overseas slots per team and a stacked pool of talent, tough calls get made. Australia’s got 70 players in the draft, South Africa 57, New Zealand 47 Pakistan’s 45 isn’t small, but it’s not special either. And when you’ve got stars like Warner or Rachin Ravindra guaranteed to show up, why bet on a maybe?
Still, the optics suck. No Indian men signed up BCCI’s rules but Deepti Sharma’s in for the women’s side. Pakistan’s total blanking feels personal, even if it’s not. The PCB’s not thrilled either they’ve been prickly lately, like with the Champions Trophy logo mess or their boss getting snubbed at the final. Could this be payback? Nah, that’s stretching it.
What’s It Mean for Pakistan Cricket?
This stings for Pakistani players. The Hundred’s a sweet gig big stage, decent cash, and a chance to rub shoulders with the best. Missing out hurts their wallets and their rep. Naseem Shah’s a proven gun, Imad’s a clutch all-rounder, Saim Ayub’s got buzz yet here they are, sidelined. X fans are gutted: “Our boys deserve better than this!” one writes. Another’s blunt: “Form’s shaky, sure, but zero picks? Brutal.”
Pakistan’s cricket’s been a rollercoaster lately early Champions Trophy exit, big names like Babar Azam and Shaheen dropped from T20Is. The PCB’s juggling workloads and NOCs like a circus act, and it’s not helping. Franchises might be thinking, “Are these guys even worth the hassle?” That’s a tough pill to swallow.
The Bigger Picture
So, soft ban or not? Probably not at least, not in the “IPL bosses said no” way. It’s more a perfect storm: dodgy timing, PCB red tape, and a brutal draft market. But the speculation won’t die it’s too easy a story. Indian investment’s a lightning rod, and Pakistan’s cricket isolation (real or not) keeps the rumor mill churning. X is split: some see a conspiracy, others just shrug, “That’s cricket.”
For now, The Hundred 2025 rolls on without Pakistan’s flair. Teams can still tweak squads in May’s wildcard draft, so there’s a slim chance yet. But this snub’s a wake-up call Pakistan’s players need consistency, and the PCB needs to sort its act out. Otherwise, these global leagues might keep passing them by, ban or no ban.
