English cricketer Moeen Ali has come out strongly against ignoring Pakistani players in The 100 League.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Moeen Ali said that discrimination cannot be tolerated in the UK. Players will not remain silent. They will unite and raise their voices. Moeen Ali said that not including Pakistani cricketers in Indian-owned teams would be against the rules. He also demanded that the England and Wales Cricket Board take notice.
He said that four out of 8 teams in The Hundred League belong to India, the auction of players for The Hundred will be held on March 11 and 12.
Moeen Ali warned that a “group of players” (including non-Pakistani heritage players) will take collective action if it becomes clear that Pakistani stars are being boycotted.
Following the backlash, the ECB sent a formal letter to the Directors of Cricket at all eight franchises. It explicitly warned them that any evidence of nationality-based discrimination in recruitment would lead to disciplinary charges from the independent Cricket Regulator.
On February 25, all eight franchises (including the four with Indian ownership) issued a joint statement with the ECB, reaffirming their commitment to inclusivity and claiming that selection will be based “solely on cricketing performance.”
The controversy started when BBC Sport reported on leaked messages from a senior ECB official suggesting that the four franchises with Indian Premier League (IPL) ownership would likely avoid picking Pakistani players due to geopolitical tensions
