The Hundred turns it's back on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan; insults them in front of the whole cricket world

Former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam was overlooked at the 2024 Men’s The Hundred draft on Wednesday, March 20. Alongside Babar Azam, Pakistan wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan also went unselected for the upcoming season of the 100-ball tournament.

The fourth edition of The Hundred is scheduled to commence on July 23, 2024, featuring a match between defending champions Oval Invincibles and Birmingham Phoenix at the Kia Oval in London. Each team is composed of 15 players, including overseas stars.

Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan Remain Unsold At The Hundred Draft

The draft included 32 men’s cricketers selected across eight teams. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Pakistan’s T20 captain Shaheen Afridi were late additions to the draft list. However, only three Pakistani players secured contracts during the selection process.

Babar and Rizwan remained unsold in The Hundred draft for the fourth consecutive year, despite their impressive performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 season. Both players have faced rejection since 2021, failing to secure a spot in any franchise.

Shaheen Shah Afridi was picked by the Welsh Fire for £100,000, and he played for them last season. All-rounder Imad Wasim rejoined the Trent Rockets for £100,000, while Birmingham Phoenix secured young pace bowler Naseem Shah for the highest bid of £125,000.

Several prominent Pakistani players, including Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, and Mohammad Amir, were not selected by any franchise during the draft. Before the draft, Manchester Originals retained Pakistan leg spinner Usama Mir for £60,000, while Welsh Fire retained tearaway pacer Haris Rauf for £75,000.

Jason Roy Goes Unsold At The Hundred Draft

England’s Jason Roy was overlooked by all franchises during the player’s draft after being released by the Oval Invincibles. Other international players such as David Warner, Tim David, Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine, and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman also went unpicked.

West Indies players were in high demand at the draft, with the Northern Superchargers selecting Nicholas Pooran as their first signing. The London Spirit acquired the talents of Andre Russell and Shimron Hetmyer, while the Southern Brave secured Kieron Pollard. Rovman Powell was also a top pick for the Trent Rockets.

English cricketer Mark Wood went unnoticed by teams, possibly due to injury concerns. Wood recently withdrew from the IPL 2024 season. Meanwhile, Ollie Pope and Dawid Malan have joined new franchises, joining London Spirit and Oval Invincibles, respectively.

Harmanpreet Kaur And Jemimah Rodrigues Go Unsold In Women’s Draft

Indian cricketers Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues did not garner any interest in The Hundred 2024 women’s draft despite their impressive performances in the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh were picked in the draft.

The Birmingham Phoenix secured England’s Amy Jones as the first pick in the women’s draft, investing £50,000 in her. Notable Australian women cricketers like Meg Lanning, Beth Mooney, and Ashleigh Gardner were particularly in demand during the auction.

Also read: Watch- Imad Wasim instigates Babar Azam fans amid chants of former Pakistan captain in Karachi