Kane Williamson & Shahid Afridi Also Opt Out Of The Hundred

Kane Williamson and Shaheen Afridi are the latest additions to The Hundred’s initial withdrawal list, which is growing by the day. The New Zealand captain has resigned from his contract with the Birmingham Phoenix, citing the same elbow ailment that has bothered him for the past year. They have both been playing some really good live cricket this term.

Williamson is now in the United Kingdom, where he may be seen coaching the Phoenix in the competition. That is after leading his country to a historic victory in the ICC World Test Championship against India. He did his bit with the cricket bat and the team was well led under his captaincy. His New Zealand teammate Fin Allen, who is presently playing for Lancashire in the T20 Blast, has been selected as a substitute by the franchise.

What’s Going On With These Players; Why Are They Backing Out of The Tournament?

Allen has been in excellent form in the present T20 Blast edition, scoring 215 runs from eight innings. He has done so, while striking only a little under 139 at an average of 30.71. These are impressive numbers and the fans will be hoping to see more of him. Any cricket fan appreciates good aggressive batting, which has been seen on Social Media for quite some time now.

Meanwhile, because Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies coincides with the event, Phoenix will be without Shaheen Afridi, who has withdrawn out of the Hundred to focus on his international duties. The competition might also be hampered by the absence of Adam Zampa and Aaron Finch, who are both members of the Australian team that will travel to the Windies and Bangladesh.

In addition, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Kane Richardson have opted out of the trips to the Caribbean and Bangladesh due to the necessary 14-day quarantine. This means that a lot of ups and downs could be expected with regards to the squad changes and latest updates.

This list of the Opt-Out grows; how will it hamper this upcoming domestic tournament?

The Hundred’s numerous opt-outs include David Warner, Marcus Stoinis, and Glenn Maxwell, who were all members of the national squad on the aforementioned tours, and both Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard, who appear likely to miss at least the first half of the league owing to international commitments.

Quinton de Kock and Glenn Phillips have been selected as Warner and Stoinis’ substitutes for the Southern Brave, while Josh Inglis has been picked as Maxwell’s replacement for the London Spirit.

Lungi Ngidi from South Africa is ready to join Welsh Fire as a substitute for the opt-out Jhye Richardson but Ngidi may lend his services at the end of his Ireland Tour with South Africa. Kagiso Rabada has also opted to miss the 100-ball League from South Africa.

About The Hundred in detail and what will be happening in the upcoming edition of the competition?

The Hundred is a thrilling new 100-ball cricket tournament that will have you on the edge of your seat. Everyone is invited to attend. It will include world-class athletes and household stars from all around the globe. Every summer, eight fresh new city-based women’s and men’s teams will play for five weeks.

For each team, a men’s and women’s squad will be established, with the competitions running concurrently.

The teams participating are:

Birmingham Phoenix (Edgbaston)
London Spirit (Lord’s)
Manchester Originals (Emirates Old Trafford)
Northern Superchargers (Emerald Headingley)
Oval Invincibles (Kia Oval)
Southern Brave (Ageas Bowl)
Trent Rockets (Trent Bridge)
Welsh Fire (Sophia Gardens)

Each team will consist of a total of 15 players. They will be allowed to have a maximum of three international stars. That is how the rotation of the teams will be done and it helps to maintain a very necessary balance of the domestic and international stars.

With that being said, the fans will now be hoping that no more players drop out from the upcoming edition of the tournament. If that is the case, there will be something really special put on display by the cricketers involved. In case a lot of players do drop out, the tournament could lose some of its charms and things may not be as glamourous, as some of the fans may be hoping it to be. Let’s wait and watch!!