The logistical issues with staging a tournament purportedly offering the best against the best are many in an era of mandatory quarantines and with the international calendar packed to bursting. A variety of factors has meant 14 of the 24 overseas players in the squads confirmed after February’s redraft have since pulled out, a number which doesn’t include those signed up before the competition was postponed in 2020, such as Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc and Fabian Allen.

From those 14, a pretty handy XI can be constructed, including some of the greatest white-ball players in the world right now. The Hundred, apparently, is a tournament capable of attracting the biggest names in world cricket. It’s keeping them that’s the hard part.

The ‘Pulled out of The Hundred’ XI – the selections

David Warner – Australia

The pugnacious opener originally pulled out of The Hundred in June after being named in Australia’s preliminary squads for their tour of West Indies, but then opted to sit out of that encounter as well.

Aaron Finch – Australia

Australia’s white-ball captain is currently leading his country in the Caribbean, and confirmed his absence from The Hundred in early July. Australia’s strict quarantine rules have contributed to all but one of their overseas players pulling out, with Josh Inglis, already in the country playing for Leicestershire Foxes, signing as a replacement.

Kane Williamson – New Zealand

The Black Caps captain, fresh off leading his country to the inaugural World Test Championship title, pulled out of The Hundred in early July to manage an elbow injury.

Glenn Maxwell – Australia

Uniquely, Maxwell’s withdrawal was confirmed by London Spirit coach Shane Warne while speaking on the Road to the Ashes podcast. He had already ruled himself out of Australia’s white-ball tour to the Caribbean and has been replaced by Inglis.

Nicholas Pooran (wk) – West Indies

All of the West Indies players involved in their white-ball summer have now pulled out of The Hundred, with Sunil Narine and Carlos Brathwaite, each out the reckoning, the only two Caribbean players involved. Nicholas Pooran, one of the most exciting young batsmen in the world, will be keenly missed.

Kieron Pollard – West Indies

Named as Wisden’s Leading T20 Cricketer in the World for 2020, the West Indies white-ball captain is one of the most recent pull-outs, doing so only in the last week having initially been hopeful of playing some part in the tournament following the end of his international commitments.

Andre Russell – West Indies

Russell pulled out at the same time as Pollard, with the two hard-hitting pace-bowling all-rounders each among the most valuable T20 cricketers in the world. He has been replaced by Colin de Grandhomme; not bad, as like-for-likes go. He makes this team over Marcus Stoinis, the Australia seam-bowling all-rounder.

Shadab Khan – Pakistan

The livewire leg-spinning all-rounder was originally signed up by Manchester Originals, where he was set to form a mouth-watering wrist-spin partnership with Matt Parkinson. However, Pakistan’s tour of West Indies, arranged for July and August but only confirmed in May, has ruled him out. The only Pakistanis playing in The Hundred are Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz.

Kagiso Rabada – South Africa

ESPNcricinfo first reported that Kagiso Rabada was set to pull out of The Hundred in mid-June. He is currently playing in Ireland for South Africa, with that tour ending on the day of Manchester Originals’ first fixture. However, he opted to return home and rest rather than pick up an £100k pay packet in England.

Shaheen Afridi – Pakistan

One of the most exciting young fast bowlers in the world, the left-arm quick is, like Shadab, set to feature in Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies. The other two quicks to pull out are Australia’s Jhye Richardson and Nathan Coulter-Nilw

Adam Zampa – Australia

The diminutive leg-spinner is playing for Australia in the West Indies, effectively ruling him out of participation in The Hundred.

The ‘Pulled out of The Hundred’ XI – the line-up

David Warner
Aaron Finch
Kane Williamson
Glenn Maxwell
Nicholas Pooran (wk)
Kieron Pollard
Andre Russell
Shadab Khan
Kagiso Rabada
Shaheen Afridi
Adam Zampa