Over 50 Pakistan Stars Set for Hundred Auction

Over 50 male and female cricketers from Pakistan have entered the auction for The Hundred, the popular UK-based T20 competition. The auction is scheduled to take place on March 11 and 12 in London. A comprehensive list of all registered players is expected to be released soon. Last year's tournament featured a limited number of Pakistani players, highlighting a potential increase in representation this season.

This year's auction will feature over 200 players across both men's and women's competitions, with sixteen teams looking to finalize their squads. The event signifies a significant step in team building for the sixth edition of The Hundred. Intriguingly, six of the eight franchises are owned by Indian entities, including companies associated with major Indian Premier League teams.

The financial aspects of the auction involve substantial salary caps for both men's (£2.05m) and women's (£880,000) teams. Teams have already utilized a portion of these funds through pre-auction direct signings and retentions, with a specific window for these player acquisitions closing at the end of January. The selection process will involve three phases: Hero Players, Ranked Players, and Nominated Players, based on teams' aggregated interest.