The Hundred’s growing ownership debate has drawn one of England’s most prominent voices into the spotlight. Moeen Ali has urged the England and Wales Cricket Board to ensure Pakistani players are not excluded from the competition, warning that any discrimination would demand a response from within the dressing room. Speaking exclusively to Telegraph Sport, the former England all-rounder made clear that recruitment based on nationality would be unacceptable in English cricket.
“In the UK, I’m not sure that can happen – and I hope it doesn’t happen,” Moeen Ali told Telegraph Sport.
He stressed that exclusion on the basis of nationality would be unacceptable, adding, “It just shouldn’t happen, hopefully it won’t happen. We just have to wait and see if it does, but I think it’d be a massive shame, and I’m sure the ECB will definitely keep an eye out.”
Reports have suggested that Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds — franchises with Indian Premier League-linked ownership — may avoid signing Pakistani players in this year’s auction. The draft is scheduled for March 11 and 12, with 67 Pakistani players registered.
Players prepared to speak up
Moeen indicated that players would not remain silent if exclusion became evident.
“There’ll be a group of players that will speak up,” he said.
“There’ll be things done about it. I think players should speak up. Anyone that has any sort of concern for these kind of things – it doesn’t matter if they have Pakistani heritage – should speak up,” he added.
He acknowledged that conversations are still unfolding across the circuit. “Obviously, the news is very new. So I’ve not really had a chance to speak to anyone, but most of the players would be on the same page.”
While stressing unity, Moeen also recognised the pressures faced by younger professionals. “It’s such a difficult one, because all these teams are everywhere in every league. So now if players speak out, or if they say anything, then it affects their career. It’s a difficult position for players to be in. When you’re an older player like myself, you don’t really care too much.”
A pattern Moeen says has gone unaddressed
Pakistani players have not featured in the IPL since 2008, and IPL ownership groups now control teams across SA20 and other global leagues. Moeen argued that the issue extends beyond a single tournament.
“These kind of things have been happening for ages now. iIt’s time for a solution, because it’s not fair – it’s obviously discriminating against certain type of people,” he said, describing the alleged pattern as unacceptable. “It’s horrible.”
He also questioned the lack of public discussion at senior levels of the sport. “I just find it strange that no one really talks about it too much. Especially at the top, no one really mentions it. People have not been speaking about it so they don’t get in trouble.”
A Pakistani agent told Telegraph Sport last week, “it’s a given.” The agent was referring to the expectation that Pakistani players would not be considered by franchises with IPL-linked ownership. The agent added, “They have been doing the same all around the world. Now that they are in the Hundred, I don’t see [it being] any different.”
Moeen accepted that proving discrimination can be difficult in a draft-based system. “The difficulty is that you can’t really prove anything if they don’t get picked. But if it happens for three or four years in a row, that’s different.”
He suggested the real distinction lies in how English cricket regulates its competitions compared to other franchise ecosystems, saying, “It’d be really interesting to see what happens, because I genuinely think other countries can do what they want, obviously we’re not in control of those things, but in the UK, we have a bit more say about these things.”
ECB and franchises respond
Following the controversy, the ECB wrote to franchises reminding them of their legal and regulatory obligations. In a subsequent joint statement, the governing body and all eight teams reiterated their stance.
“The England and Wales Cricket Board and all eight of The Hundred team franchises reaffirm their commitment to ensuring The Hundred continues to be a competition that is inclusive, welcoming and open to all,” the ECB and franchises said.
“The Hundred was established to reach new audiences, grow the game of cricket and ensure that everyone regardless of their ethnicity, gender, faith, nationality or other – can feel they belong in our sport. This has been a guiding principle from the outset and remains at the heart of everything we do.”
“As the governing body responsible for running the tournament, the ECB is committed to ensuring there is no place for discrimination, and has regulations in place to take robust action to tackle any such conduct. Players must not be excluded on the grounds of their nationality.”
“All eight teams commit to selection being based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team.”
“This reflects the broader commitment of the ECB to make cricket the most inclusive sport, creating opportunities, breaking down barriers and ensuring that players from all backgrounds have a fair and equal pathway to the top of the game.”
“We want The Hundred to feature the very best talent from across the world, and will continue working proactively to ensure that the competition is a benchmark for inclusivity.”
Separating criticism from experience
Moeen, who is of Pakistani heritage and played eight seasons in the IPL, was careful to distinguish structural concerns from his own experiences in India.
“I’ve had amazing experiences playing there. I don’t want to knock India or anything like that. Playing IPL was the best thing that happened for my career,” Moeen Ali told Telegraph Sport.
“I’ve been treated amazingly well there. I played with some of the best players in the world who treated me like one of their own. When you’re there, it’s one of the best places to play,” Ali added.
He suggested the ECB may not have fully anticipated recruitment sensitivities when franchise stakes were sold. “It probably didn’t even cross their mind that much, honestly, because our mindset is not like that in England, I just think when they sold, it just didn’t cross their mind,” Ali stated
Looking beyond the immediate controversy, Moeen also expressed hope for renewed cricketing engagement between India and Pakistan. “I would love to see Pakistan play India in England at a neutral ground. I think it’d be amazing for Test cricket, because they never play against each other. The crowds would be amazing, and the following would be amazing,” he said.
“Imagine what it’ll do for the game. The following that the teams have in England is huge. It’d be amazing to have that.”
For now, the focus remains on the March auction and whether recruitment patterns reflect the inclusivity commitments publicly reaffirmed by the ECB and its franchises.
