ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s cricketers were absent from the auction list on Monday as several of the world’s top women cricketers earned hundreds of thousands of dollars for their services in the inaugural Women’s Premier League in India.

A total of 449 players were up for auction on Monday but only up to 90 players will secure spots in the tournament, with the five franchises buying a maximum of 18 players each.

Pakistan’s total absence from the WPL aligns with their male counterparts’ absence from the money-spinning Indian Premier League. Aside from the inaugural season in 2008, which took place during a brief political detente between diplomatic rivals India and Pakistan, no player representing Pakistan has taken part in the IPL.

“It is extremely unfortunate to see Pakistan players missing out,” Urooj Mumtaz, the former Pakistan captain and commentator, told ESPNcricinfo.

“Every opportunity must be fair and inclusive, and all opportunities are steps toward collectively raising the standard of the women’s game and globally growing the sport. Most importantly, they bridge the gap in quality between cricketing nations.”

Outside of Pakistan, the reaction to Pakistan’s absence from WPL has been muted, with only Alison Mitchell, an English-Australian cricket commentator and sports broadcaster, expressing concerns about the financial gulf it would open up between Pakistan’s female cricketers and the rest.

“Equality is only equality when all players have an equal opportunity to enter an auction,” Mitchell tweeted. “Feel for how much these figures will grow the gap between Pakistan players and the rest. No Pakistan players in WPL Auction as per IPL.”

Pakistani incumbent Bismah Maroof, when asked about the WPL auction after an opening-game loss to India in the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup, said Pakistan’s players would “love to play” in any league that offered them the opportunity.

“We, as Pakistan, don’t get many opportunities to play in the leagues and that’s very unfortunate,” she said. “Definitely, we would love to play and we want every opportunity we can get in the leagues. But yeah, it is what it is and we can’t control that.”

At Monday’s auction, India’s attacking batter Smriti Mandhana led the way at $410,000. Australian all-rounder Ash Gardner was the second most expensive player in the first batch of sales, with Gujarat Giants paying $387,000 for her.

Royal Challengers Bangalore also bagged Ellyze Perry of Australia for $205,000 and Sophie Devine of New Zealand for her base price of $60,000. England’s Sophie Ecclestone went to UP Warriorz for $220,000.

The franchise rights for the five women’s teams were auctioned off in January for $572.5 million, while media rights for the first five seasons of the new league were sold to Viacom18 for $116.7 million.