In The Hundred 2023 draft, several Pakistani players faced disappointment as they were once again overlooked by the participating teams. Notably, Pakistan’s star batsman and international captain, Babar Azam, was among those not picked.
Despite Pakistan’s rich talent pool and success in T20 cricket, most of the players failed to capture the attention of the eight teams in the competition. It was surprising to see some of the prominent names missing out on a chance to showcase their skills in this prestigious tournament.
While a few Pakistani players made the cut and secured a spot in the teams, many others with a proven track record in the shortest format of the game were left without an opportunity to participate in The Hundred.
Let’s look at the players who made their way to the Hundred 2023.
Pakistani Players selected for The Hundred 2023:
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Left-arm fast bowler Shaheen, known for his impressive performances in T20 cricket, will lead Welsh Fire’s bowling attack in The Hundred 2023 tournament.
Having previously captained Lahore Qalandars to victory twice in the PSL, the 22-year-old cricketer was picked by Welsh Fire in the £100,000 category during the players draft.
Shaheen recently represented Nottinghamshire Outlaws in the T20 Blast, displaying exceptional skills and taking 22 wickets in 14 matches.
In a remarkable feat, during his last appearance for the Outlaws against Birmingham Bears, Shaheen achieved a new world record by taking four wickets in the first over.
Although initially signed by Birmingham Phoenix for the inaugural edition of The Hundred, Shaheen had to withdraw from the tournament due to his commitments with the national team. Now, fans eagerly anticipate his impact on Welsh Fire’s performance in The Hundred 2023.
Shadab Khan
The talented leg-spinning all-rounder, Shadab, has been selected as the second Pakistani player in the £100,000 category for this year’s edition of The Hundred. He will be representing Birmingham Phoenix in the tournament.
Previously, Shadab, who also leads Islamabad United in the PSL, signed up with Sussex Sharks for the T20 Blast tournament.
Despite missing a couple of matches due to injury, he made an impact in the 12 games he played, securing 13 wickets and contributing with a couple of quick-fire fifties.
However, Shadab’s stint with Birmingham Phoenix will be limited to August 14 as he will be returning to Pakistan for national duties.
Throughout his T20 career, Shadab has impressively claimed over 280 wickets, including 104 at the international level. His skills and experience will undoubtedly add value to Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred 2023.
Haris Rauf
Experienced fast bowler Haris will join forces with Shaheen in the Welsh Fire squad.
The dynamic duo, who have been partners in the national squad and Lahore Qalandars, are all set to make their debut in The Hundred tournament.
Welsh Fire acquired Haris in the £60,000 category, recognizing his prowess as one of the fastest bowlers in Pakistan and beyond.
With an impressive tally of over 220 wickets in T20 cricket, including 83 at the international level, Haris brings a wealth of experience and skill to the Welsh Fire bowling attack.
Cricket enthusiasts can look forward to witnessing the formidable combination of Shaheen and Haris as they aim to leave a blazing impact in The Hundred 2023 edition.
Zaman Khan
Manchester Originals have signed 21-year-old pacer Zaman Khan as a replacement for Irish bowler Josh Little. Zaman, currently playing for Toronto Nationals in the Global T20 league in Canada, will join Manchester Originals after August 16.
Zaman had an impressive start in county cricket while representing Derbyshire Falcons in the T20 Blast.
He played all 14 games and ended up being the 3rd highest wicket-taker after the group stage.
Zaman secured 25 wickets at an average of 16.55, with a strike rate of 12 and an economy rate of 8.28 runs.
A young pace sensation, Zaman is also a product of Lahore Qalandars’ players’ development program and recently made his international debut in the T20I series against Afghanistan.
Hailing from Chakswari AJK, he was also part of the twice PSL-winning franchise Lahore Qalandars. Fans can look forward to witnessing his talents on the field as he joins Manchester Originals.
Ihsanullah
Oval Invincibles made a surprising move by selecting the young pace sensation, Ihsanullah, in their team.
Ihsanullah, currently one of the fastest bowlers in Pakistan alongside Haris, was acquired by Oval Invincibles in the £40,000 category during the players’ draft.
In a recent update;
Unfortunately, Ihsanullah, who was initially signed by the Oval Invincibles, will miss out on the tournament due to an injury.
However, the Oval Invincibles have found a replacement for the injured Rashid Khan and given an opportunity to Imad Wasim to showcase his skills in the first three games.
Imad Wasim will now join the Trent Rockets lineup, and fans can look forward to witnessing his contributions on the field.
Usama Mir
Usama Mir is all set to represent Manchester Originals in The Hundred 2023. The leg-spinner has now established himself as a reliable all-rounder, showcasing his hard-hitting skills lower down the batting order.
His recent form has been outstanding, particularly during his stint with Worcestershire Rapids in the T20 Blast.
Initially signed for just the opening three games, Mir made a huge impact with his performances, leading Worcestershire Rapids to extend his contract for the rest of the Blast tournament.
In 11 games, he claimed an impressive 19 wickets at an average of 16.89, with a striking rate of 13.39 and conceding just 7.89 runs per over.
Mir made his international debut earlier this year and has already played six ODIs for Pakistan.
He has also been a valuable player for Karachi Kings and recently played a significant role for Multan Sultans in the PSL, emerging as the fifth-highest wicket-taker and helping Multan Sultans reach the final of the tournament this year.
Pakistani Players that went unsold in The Hundred 2023
In a surprising turn of events, every other entrant from Pakistan unfortunately went unsold in the auction.
Even the highest-profile names like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan failed to find any takers. It’s worth noting that Babar Azam faced a similar fate in the previous year’s auction as well.
The list of unsold players from Pakistan includes Azam Khan, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Tayyab Tahir, Naseem Shah, and several others.
Despite their talent and potential, they did not attract any bids from the IPL franchises during the auction.
