The signing of Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed by Sunrisers Leeds in the course of the 2026 public sale of The Hundred has sparked a wave of debate and criticism, notably amongst Indian cricket followers. The franchise, owned by Chennai-based Solar Group – which additionally runs the Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL workforce—got here below scrutiny after securing the thriller spinner for £190,000 (round ₹2.34 crore).
A lot of the backlash was directed at franchise co-owner Kavya Maran, who was current on the public sale and raised the paddle in the course of the bidding course of. The response on social media was intense, with a number of followers questioning the choice and even calling for boycotts. Including to the drama, the official X (previously Twitter) account of Sunrisers Leeds was reportedly suspended shortly after the announcement.
Amid the controversy, Sunrisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori has now defined the reasoning behind the transfer, stressing that the choice was purely based mostly on cricketing wants slightly than any off-field concerns.
Why Kavya Maran’s Sunrisers Leeds focused Abrar Ahmed?
Based on Vettori, the choice to pursue Abrar Ahmed was made solely after the franchise did not safe their major spin goal in the course of the public sale in London.
“As soon as we missed out on Adil Rashid, who was a precedence early on, then we clearly jumped into the abroad spinner market. There have been 4 or 5 guys we have been , and Abrar was considered one of them. Very happy to get him,” Vettori said after the conclusion of the public sale.
The teaching workers had recognized a number of abroad spin choices, together with Bangladesh spinner Rishad Hossain and fellow Pakistani thriller spinner Usman Tariq, earlier than in the end deciding to bid aggressively for Abrar.
Earlier than the public sale, there had been hypothesis that the 4 franchises with Indian possession would possibly keep away from selecting Pakistani gamers attributable to political tensions between India and Pakistan. Pakistani cricketers haven’t performed within the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2008, and IPL-linked groups have typically prevented signing them in different world leagues as properly.
Nevertheless, Vettori made it clear that such concerns by no means influenced the workforce’s technique.
“We simply deliberate for everybody who was within the public sale. There wasn’t a dialogue about not selecting Pakistan gamers. It was merely a matter of who was the most suitable choice obtainable,” Vettori defined.
He additional confirmed that the franchise possession by no means instructed the teaching workers to keep away from Pakistani gamers.
“We got here into the public sale with each participant obtainable to us. As quickly as this feature was obtainable there have been a lot of superb spinners from worldwide groups that have been an possibility, however Abrar was a precedence,” he advised BBC Sport.
Earlier than the public sale, the England and Wales Cricket Board had additionally reminded franchises of their anti-discrimination duties amid stories of a potential casual “shadow ban.” The ECB and all eight groups later launched a joint assertion saying picks can be based mostly on “efficiency, availability, and the wants of every workforce.”
Additionally READ: ‘Shame on Kavya Maran’ – Sunrisers owner faces backlash for signing Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed in The Hundred Auction
Tactical causes behind the signing of Abrar Ahmed
Vettori additionally highlighted that Abrar Ahmed’s bowling model made him a horny possibility for Sunrisers Leeds, notably contemplating the circumstances at Headingley Cricket Floor.
“It’s a little bit of a thriller. I don’t suppose many English gamers have seen him a lot. He lately performed in opposition to Australia, and the suggestions from the Australian gamers was that he’s tough to face, with lots of variations and the flexibility to strike within the powerplay and thru the center overs,” Vettori mentioned.
The previous New Zealand captain believes that spinners usually play a decisive position at Headingley, making Abrar’s ability set particularly priceless for the workforce.
“Spinners have been those who succeed there. Having somebody like Abrar may make an enormous distinction for us,” he added. “Plenty of variations and a capability to strike within the powerplay, and nonetheless by the center levels, which I believe is a key requirement at Headingley.”
Abrar entered the public sale with a base value of £75,000, however a bidding contest between Sunrisers Leeds and Trent Rockets ultimately pushed his value as much as £190,000, making him the most costly Asian participant within the 2026 Hundred public sale.
He was additionally the second Pakistani participant offered in the course of the public sale, after Usman Tariq was picked up by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000. A number of different Pakistan stars—together with Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub – went unsold, whereas quick bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi withdrew earlier than the public sale started.
Regardless of the criticism on-line, the Sunrisers Leeds administration stays assured of their resolution. Vettori reiterated that the workforce is concentrated on constructing a robust squad able to difficult for the title.
Sunrisers Leeds, captained by Harry Brook, additionally added gamers resembling Ryan Rickelton, Zak Crawley, Matt Potts, and Dan Lawrence in the course of the public sale. The squad already options notable names like Brydon Carse, Mitchell Marsh and Nathan Ellis.
The 2026 season of The Hundred will run from July 21 to August 16, that includes 34 males’s and 34 girls’s matches.
Additionally READ: The Hundred 2026 Auction – Complete list of sold players with their price
