The Sunrisers Leeds franchise has come under heavy criticism on social media after signing Pakistan mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed during the men’s player auction for The Hundred.
Abrar was purchased for USD 255,000, becoming the first Pakistani cricketer to join an Indian-owned franchise in the tournament. The move sparked intense debate among fans, particularly in India, where some users questioned the decision due to the long-standing sporting and political tensions with Pakistan.
Franchise Owner and Management Present at Auction
During the auction, team owner Kavya Maran was present alongside head coach Daniel Vettori. The franchise secured Abrar after reportedly winning a bidding contest against Trent Rockets.
Before the auction, reports suggested there could be hesitation among Indian-owned teams participating in The Hundred regarding the selection of Pakistani players. However, all franchises later clarified that selections would be based solely on team requirements, performance, and player availability.
Team’s Official X Account Suspended
Shortly after the signing was announced, the official X (formerly Twitter) account of Sunrisers Leeds was suspended.
Visitors attempting to access the account currently see a notice stating that the account has been suspended for violating platform rules. The platform has not yet publicly explained the specific reason for the suspension.
Sun TV Group Took Over Franchise in 2025
The Leeds-based franchise is owned by the Sun TV Network, which completed a full takeover of the team last year. The group acquired a 49% stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board and the remaining 51% stake from Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
The team was previously known as Northern Superchargers before the rebranding.
Sunrisers’ History With Pakistani Players
The Sunrisers cricket network also operates Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in South Africa’s SA20 tournament.
Neither of those teams has previously signed an active Pakistani international player.
In the same auction, another Pakistan spinner, Usman Tariq, was bought by Birmingham Phoenix for USD 187,000.
Pakistani players have not participated in the Indian Premier League since the inaugural 2008 season due to geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan.
