THE ENGLAND and Wales Cricket Board and all eight of The Hundred teams have jointly insisted the competition is “inclusive and open to all” amid claims Pakistan players could be frozen out by the Indian-owned franchises.

It had been reported by the BBC that Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds would not consider any Pakistan cricketers at The Hundred auction in March.

However, it is understood the ECB sent an email to the eight sides on Sunday, warning them that action would be taken if there is any evidence of discrimination, including ignoring players based on nationality.

A total of 67 Pakistan players — 63 men and four women — have submitted themselves for next month’s auction.

And on Tuesday evening, a statement issued by The Hundred and its eight teams read: “The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) 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 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.”

Longstanding geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan have cast a shadow over cricket for many years, with an effective blanket ban on Pakistan players at the Indian Premier League being in place since 2009.

Opportunities for Pakistan players have been squeezed further by several IPL owners taking charge of domestic franchises abroad — such as South Africa’s SA20 and the ILT20 in the United Arab Emirates.

There were no Pakistan players selected at last year’s draft — before the new investors assumed control — although left-arm seamer Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim featured as replacements.

That was largely down to Pakistan’s busy summer schedule, rendering their high-profile players unavailable for some of the tournament, and it is a similar situation this year.

Pakistan have two Tests in the West Indies during the tournament, which is set to run from July 21 to August 16, and then play the first of three Tests against England three days after The Hundred final.