It would be "a shame" if Pakistan cricketers are left out of The Hundred, England's white-ball skipper Harry Brook said on Saturday (February 21).

Rumours are rife that Indian-owned Hundred franchises - Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds - may not sign Pakistani players at the auction amid concerns over potential political backlash in India due to ongoing tensions between two nations.

"Our main focus now is what's coming up in the T20 World Cup. It's not really any of our business, to be honest," Brook said on the eve of England’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 clash against Sri Lanka.

"But what I would say is Pakistan have been a great cricket nation for many years. I think there's about 50-60 players in the auction, and it would be a shame to not see some of them in there," he added.

A total of 67 male and female cricketers from Pakistan have registered for The Hundred auction. Several Pakistan stars like Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, and Haris Rauf have appeared in the tournament previously.

The Indian Premier League has not included Pakistani players since the 26/11 terrorist attack in 2008. No Pakistan cricketer has featured in SA20 since its launch in 2023, with all six franchises having Indian owners.

Similarly, in the UAE's ILT20, franchises controlled by the Indian owners have not picked a single Pakistan player across four seasons.

"There's some amazing cricketers, and they bring great crowds as well. So it would be a shame to not see some of the Pakistan players in there and make the tournament and competition even better," Brook stated.

The upcoming season of The Hundred is scheduled from July 21 to August 16, while the player auction is due for March 11 and 12.

(With PTI Inputs)