Pakistan players prominently feature in ‘The Hundred’ draft

The list of players who will participate in the draft of the inaugural edition of ‘The Hundred’, which is scheduled for next year, has been announced with many Pakistan players featuring in it.

Fast-bowler Mohammad Amir, who has been placed in the highest category amongst Pakistan players, has been included in the draft at a reserve price of £100,000.

Star Batsman Babar Azam, veteran all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez and young leg-spinner Shadab Khan have been included at a reserve price of £75,000.

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Fast-bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Shinwari and Wahab Riaz along with all-rounders Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Faheem Ashraf have been included at a reserve price of £60,000.

Fast-bowler Mohammad Abbas, middle-order batsman Asif Ali and all-rounder Imad Wasim have been included at a reserve price of £50,000.

Middle-order batsman Umar Akmal, all-rounder Hussain Talat, opener Fakhar Zaman and fast-bowler Hasan Ali have been included in the £40,000 bracket.

The draft also includes players such as batsmen Iftikhar Ahmed, Kamran Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Mohammad Rizwan, Asad Shafiq, Ahmed Shehzad, Haris Sohail, Imamul Haq, fast-bowlers Mir Hamza, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Sohail Tanvir, spinners Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz, Yasir Shah as well, however no reserve price has been set for these players.

Australian duo Steve Smith and David Warner and West Indies opener Chris Gayle are among the most expensive players listed in the draft.

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Smith helped Australia retain the Ashes in England last month while Warner endured a miserable series, managing just one fifty in five tests. Paceman Mitchell Starc, who played just one test in that series, is the third Australian in the six-man group who will command a £125,000 reserve price.

Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga and fellow speedster Kagiso Rabada of South Africa are the other players in the top bracket for the inaugural edition of the 100-ball competition.

Five of the eight city-based sides will have an Australian in charge with Shane Warne, Darren Lehmann and Tom Moody among them. None of the men's teams have a local coach.

The inaugural edition of ‘The Hundred’, which will follow the 100-ball format, will be played in England and Wales and is scheduled to start in July 2020. The draft is scheduled for October 20. Eight teams will participate in the tournament.