The signing of Abrar Ahmed in the Hundred has unexpectedly triggered a major debate among cricket fans in India. During the auction in London, Sun Group executive and franchise owner Kavya Maran secured the Pakistani mystery spinner for her new team, Sunrisers Leeds, a sister franchise of Sunrisers Hyderabad. While the signing technically has nothing to do with the IPL, the decision quickly sparked anger and confusion among many Indian fans. Within hours, social media discussions escalated, with some users even calling for a boycott SRH in IPL campaign ahead of the new season.
Contents
How the Bidding War for Abrar Ahmed Unfolded?
The controversy began during the inaugural auction of The Hundred’s new private ownership era on March 12, 2026. The tournament, run by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), recently opened its doors to external investors, including several owners associated with IPL franchises. Among them was Sunrisers, formerly known as Northern Superchargers, which is now fully owned by the Sun TV Group.
Finally, a Pakistani player has been picked by an Indian-owned franchise!
Sunrisers Leeds, led by owner Kavya Maran, saw Daniel Vettori express interest in mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed.
The franchise eventually won the bidding war against Trent Rockets, securing him for £190,000 https://t.co/o5SN3Q95MQ pic.twitter.com/gpgJFcuQmg
— Pavilion Post (@CricinsightsX) March 12, 2026
When Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed’s name came up during the auction, the franchise quickly entered a competitive bidding war with Trent Rockets. The bidding intensified for a few moments before Sunrisers eventually secured the player for £190,000 (approximately ₹2.34 crore).
Abrar Ahmed enters the Sunrisers universe!
👉 https://t.co/rLdauljisX pic.twitter.com/HWREhO90yZ
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 12, 2026
From a cricketing standpoint, the move appeared logical. Abrar Ahmed has rapidly established himself as one of the most exciting mystery spinners in modern white-ball cricket. His variations, deceptive googlies, and ability to attack during both the powerplay and middle overs make him a valuable weapon in T20 cricket. In recent international matches, the Pakistani spinner has built a reputation for troubling even experienced batters. His ability to generate wickets while maintaining a tight economy rate has made him an attractive option for franchise teams looking to strengthen their spin departments.
在 Instagram 查看這則貼文
Sunrisers head coach Daniel Vettori later explained that the team initially targeted England leg-spinner Adil Rashid during the auction. However, after missing out on Rashid early in the process, the management shifted its focus to overseas spin options.
Why Indian Fans Reacted So Strongly?
The backlash erupted almost immediately after news of the signing broke online. While the signing was for a UK-based tournament, the controversy quickly spilled into the IPL ecosystem because of the ownership link between Sunrisers Leeds and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed signed by Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred auction.🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/2avfjzhFCj
— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) March 12, 2026
For many Indian fans, the move felt symbolic. Since the political tensions between India and Pakistan escalated over the years, Pakistani players have not participated in the IPL since the inaugural season in 2008. Over time, even overseas leagues connected to IPL owners—such as SA20 and ILT20—have generally avoided signing Pakistani cricketers.
🚨 THE END OF THE HUNDRED AUCTION 🚨
– Abrar Ahmed bought by Sunrisers Leeds (Indian-owned) for PKR 7.12 crore.
– Usman Tariq bought by Birmingham Phoenix (American-owned) for PKR 5.25 crore.
The likes of Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Salman Mirza, Muhammad… pic.twitter.com/1at89WdKe7
— Sheri. (@CallMeSheri1_) March 12, 2026
Because of this pattern, many fans believed that an unwritten understanding existed among IPL-linked franchises to avoid recruiting Pakistani players. The signing of Abrar Ahmed in the Hundred, therefore, appeared to break that informal tradition.
🚨 Sunrisers Leeds X Account Suspended 🚨
Sunrisers Leeds’ X account suspended after buying Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed in the Hundred 2026 auction. pic.twitter.com/AfrUM92fCW
— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) March 13, 2026
The situation intensified further due to controversial social media posts attributed to Abrar Ahmed in 2025. Some Indian fans accused the player of sharing posts that mocked the Indian Armed Forces during a period of heightened cross-border tensions. Once screenshots of those posts resurfaced on social media, the outrage grew rapidly. Soon, hashtags began trending across platforms such as X, with users criticizing the franchise’s decision. Some fans argued that an Indian-owned franchise should be more mindful of national sentiment, especially when signing players who have previously made controversial statements about India.
Our magician is now a Sunriser 🧡#AbrarAhmed has been picked by Sunrisers Leeds for an outstanding £190K.
Wishing Abrar and his team the very best of luck for the season ahead 🤞#MoreThanAthletes #RiseAndRise #SayaCorporation #TheHundred @TalhaAisham pic.twitter.com/95QGh0PgN5
— Saya Corporation (@SayaCorps) March 12, 2026
Within hours, the debate escalated into a broader movement where certain fans began calling for a boycott SRH in IPL campaign. Social media analytics even showed that the Sunrisers Hyderabad Instagram account reportedly lost a significant number of followers shortly after the controversy erupted.
🚨SUNRISES LEEDS KAVYA MARAN PICK PAKISTANI PLAYERS.🚨
– Abrar Ahmed Sold to Sunrises leeds at INR 2.2 Crore.😞
First pakisthani player pick by Indian team 🤯pic.twitter.com/3TYywFfWRd
— Sam (@Cricsam01) March 12, 2026
Interestingly, the ECB had reportedly warned franchises before the auction that excluding players based solely on nationality could violate UK anti-discrimination laws. This meant teams were expected to make decisions purely on cricketing merit rather than political considerations. Despite this explanation, the backlash continued to grow because fans felt the decision ignored emotional and political sensitivities in India.
Conclusion
The controversy surrounding Abrar Ahmed in the Hundred shows how quickly a sporting decision can turn into a major public debate. While Sunrisers Leeds made the signing for a UK-based tournament, the ownership link to Sunrisers Hyderabad ensured that the reaction in India was immediate and intense.
Abrar Ahmed to Sunrisers Leeds 🔥
In The Hundred Men’s Competition Draft, Sunrisers Leeds signed Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed for £190,000.#Cricket #TheHundred #AbrarAhmed #SKC pic.twitter.com/WYKcBQYtkR
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) March 12, 2026
Calls to boycott SRH in IPL may or may not have a lasting impact. Still, the episode highlights the delicate balance franchise owners must maintain between global cricketing strategy and domestic fan sentiment. As the IPL season approaches, all eyes will remain on how fans respond—and whether the outrage fades or continues to shape the conversation around the Sunrisers brand.
