England all-rounder Moeen Ali has spoken out in support of Pakistani cricketers and warned that he will not stay silent if any player is excluded from The Hundred competition because of nationality.
In a direct interview with Telegraph Sport, Moeen Ali said players would take action if they believe Pakistani players are being boycotted by Indian-owned franchises in The Hundred. He said such discrimination “can’t happen in the UK.”
The comments follow reports that four Indian-owned teams in The Hundred may avoid signing Pakistani players this season due to fears of political backlash linked to strained relations between India and Pakistan.
Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds are either fully or partly owned by companies that also operate Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises.
Pakistani players have not featured in the IPL since 2008, and as Indian ownership has expanded across global franchise cricket, their opportunities have narrowed.
In South Africa’s SA20 league, where all six teams are owned by IPL groups, no Pakistani player has appeared in four seasons. Similar patterns have been seen in franchise leagues in the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Moeen said the issue has persisted for years and questioned why it has not been openly discussed at higher levels of the sport. “These kinds of things have been happening for years,” he said. “It’s not fair. It’s discriminating against certain people. It’s horrible.”
He made clear that players would unite if they felt discrimination was taking place. “There’ll be a group of players that will speak up. There’ll be things done about it,” he said, adding that concerns about fairness should matter to everyone, not only those of Pakistani heritage.
He also acknowledged that younger players may be reluctant to raise concerns because of the potential impact on their careers, especially given that many franchise owners operate teams across multiple global leagues.
Moeen, who retired from international cricket in 2024 after winning both the 2019 ODI World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup with England, is of Pakistani descent and had entered this year’s Hundred draft before reports of a possible boycott surfaced.
While admitting that proving discrimination can be difficult, Moeen said repeated exclusion over several seasons would inevitably raise serious questions about fairness in the league.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has warned franchises they could face disciplinary action if evidence of discriminatory recruitment emerges. Any charges would be handled by the independent Cricket Regulator. However, although the ECB oversees the competition, it does not control player selections in the auction process.
Apart from the controversy, Moeen also revealed a long-held wish to see Pakistan and India play a Test match at a neutral venue in England, saying it would be “incredible” for cricket fans around the world.
