Sahibzada Farhan Mukesh Ambani. Image Credits: AFP/X
The sixth season of The Hundred will introduce a new auction system, with the inaugural player auction scheduled in London on March 11 and 12. The men’s auction will take place on March 12 as a total of 710 players had initially registered before the February 16 deadline, including 63 Pakistani cricketers.
In a major reshuffle, franchises were asked to submit a shortlist of 75-100 preferred names. After this process, the list of players was reduced to just 243 men’s players including only 14 Pakistani players who made the final cut, meaning 49 from the original list were left out ahead of the auction.
The biggest shock was the omission of Sahibzada Farhan, Pakistan’s current T20I opener, from the 14-player Pakistani shortlist for the The Hundred 2026 auction. Despite his outstanding performances in the T20 World Cup 2026, Farhan failed to make the final cut, raising serious questions and leaving fans stunned.
Sahibzada Farhan Rejected by The Hundred Teams Ahead of 2026 Auction
Sahibzada Farhan, the rising star of Pakistan cricket, has been shockingly left out of the 14 Pakistani players shortlisted by franchises for the The Hundred 2026 auction. His omission comes just days before the auction despite a record-breaking T20 World Cup campaign.
The 29-year-old recently surpassed Virat Kohli’s record for most runs in a single T20 World Cup edition. He finished the Super 8 stage as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, piling up 383 runs at a stunning average of 76.60, including magnificent centuries against Namibia and Sri Lanka.
Although Pakistan did not reach the semifinals of the T20 World Cup, Sahibzada Farhan enjoyed a memorable campaign. Still, The Hundred franchises overlooked him for the 2026 auction shortlist. With Pakistan touring the Caribbean to face the West Indies cricket team in Tests, availability was not the issue, but his snub appears purely merit-based.
Also Read: Sahibzada Farhan 9/10, How Much For Babar Azam? Rating Pakistan Players After T20 World Cup Exit
Haris Rauf Emerges as Marquee Name Despite T20 World Cup Snub
While Sahibzada Farhan was overlooked despite a record-breaking World Cup, Haris Rauf has emerged as one of the marquee attractions for the The Hundred 2026 auction. Ironically, Rauf was not even part of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad, but managed to find his name at the top of the player's shortlist for The Hundred auction.
Haris Rauf is among 10 marquee names set to headline the men’s auction on March 12 in Piccadilly, London. English local stars like Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow feature prominently, while overseas heavyweights such as David Miller and Sunil Narine join Rauf in the list of five overseas marquee players.
IPL-Owned Teams Eye 14 Pakistan Players in The Hundred Auction But No Place for Sahibzada
A total of 14 Pakistan players are on the radar of IPL-owned teams in the The Hundred auction, including Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub among others. Meanwhile, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan did not register as they are likely to feature in the Caribbean Test tour.
Yet, amid that strong representation, Sahibzada Farhan’s absence stands out the most. Despite his record-breaking World Cup campaign, he remains overlooked while others attract bids and buzz. In a list dominated by established names, Farhan’s omission becomes the defining storyline of this auction narrative.
Also Read: 1st Casualty In Pakistan Cricket After T20 World Cup! Key Decision-Maker Resigns
