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Sunday April 28, 2024

No buyers for Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan at The Hundred Draft 2024

Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Hasan Ali and Mohammad Amir also fail to get picked at auction

By Sports Desk
March 21, 2024
Pakistani batters Babar Azam (right) and Mohammed Rizwan look on while taking a run during a match. — AFP/File
Pakistani batters Babar Azam (right) and Mohammed Rizwan look on while taking a run during a match. — AFP/File

In a disappointment for cricket fans, Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan who have become a key asset of Pakistan's batting lineup, have seemingly failed to attract any bids in The Hundred 2024 player draft and have gone "unsold" at the auction for which they had registered at the last moment.

The development comes as 64 Pakistan cricketers, 59 men and five women, registered for 2024 The Hundred Draft earlier this month.

However, Babar and Rizwan are not the only Pakistani players to not get picked as the list includes Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Hasan Ali and Mohammad Amir.

Also, notable international players, Jason Roy, David Warner, Tim David, and Shakib Al Hasan were also not picked by the franchises.

Meanwhile, Green Shirts' star pacer Shaheen has been picked again by Welse Fire for £100,000 — the franchise he had represented last year as well.

Two Pakistan bowlers — Haris Rauf (Welsh Fire) and Usama Mir (Manchester Originals) were retained ahead of the draft.

Retired all-rounder Imad Wasim who recently played a crucial role in Islamabad United's win in the Pakistan Super League (PSL 9), has also returned to Trent Rockets for £100,000 whereas pacer Naseem Shah was picked by Birmingham Phoenix for £125,000.

West Indies players were in high demand at the draft with Northern Superchargers picking Nicholas Pooran as the first signing of the draft.

Andre Russell and Shimron Hetmyer will play for London Spirit, Kieron Pollard has joined Southern Brave and Rovman Powell was a top pick at Trent Rockets.

Furthermore, no Pakistani player was picked in the women's draft which saw Australian cricketers being highly sought after with Meg Lanning, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Lauren Cheatle, Jess Jonassen, Sophie Molineux being picked in the auction.

Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh were the two selected Indian players in the draft.

It must be noted that the fourth edition of The Hundred is scheduled to kick off on July 23 later this year.