Agreement with Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed By sunrisers leads The 2026 auction of The Hundred has sparked a wave of debate and criticism, especially among Indian cricket fans. The franchise, owned by Chennai-based Sun Group – which also runs the Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL team – came under scrutiny after acquiring the mystery spinner for £190,000 (approximately ₹2.34 crore).
Most of the reactions were directed at the franchise co-owner Kavya MaranWho was present at the auction and picked up the paddle during the bidding process. The reaction on social media was intense, with many fans questioning the decision and even calling for a boycott. In a dramatic development, Sunrisers Leeds’ official X (formerly Twitter) account was reportedly suspended soon after the announcement.
Amid the controversy, Sunrisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori has now explained the reason behind the move and stressed that the decision was based purely on cricketing needs rather than any off-field considerations.
Why did Kavya Maran’s Sunrisers Leads target Abrar Ahmed?
According to Vettori, the decision to pursue Abrar Ahmed was taken only after the franchise failed to secure its primary spin target during the auction in London.
“Once we missed out on Adil Rashid, who was our priority initially, we obviously jumped into the overseas spinner market. We were looking at four or five guys, and Abrar was one of them. Very happy to get him,” Vettori said after the conclusion of the auction.
Before ultimately deciding to make an aggressive bid for Abrar, the coaching staff had identified a number of overseas spin options, including Bangladesh spinner Rishad Hossain and fellow Pakistani mystery spinner Usman Tariq.
There was speculation ahead of the auction that the four Indian-owned franchises might avoid picking Pakistani players due to political tensions between India and Pakistan. Pakistani cricketers have not played Indian Premier League (IPL) Since 2008, and IPL-affiliated teams have generally avoided signing him in other global leagues as well.
However, Vettori clarified that such considerations never influenced the team’s strategy.
“We had planned for everyone involved in the auction. There was no discussion about not selecting Pakistan players. It was simply a matter of who was the best option available.” Vettori explained.
He further confirmed that the franchise ownership never instructed the coaching staff to avoid Pakistani players.
“We came into the auction with every player we had. As soon as this option became available, many very good spinners from international teams were an option, but Abrar was the priority.” he told BBC Sport.
Ahead of the auction, the England and Wales Cricket Board also reminded franchises of their anti-discrimination responsibilities amid reports of possible unethical practices. “Shadow Ban.” The ECB and all eight teams later issued a joint statement saying that the selection will be based on “Performance, availability, and the needs of each team.”
Strategic reasons behind signing Abrar Ahmed
Vettori also highlighted that Abrar Ahmed’s bowling style makes him an attractive option for Sunrisers Leeds, especially given the conditions at the Headingley Cricket Ground.
“It’s a bit of a mystery. I don’t think many English players have seen him much. He played against Australia recently, and the reaction from the Australian players was that he is difficult to face, with lots of variations and the ability to strike in the powerplay and middle overs.” Vettori said.
The former New Zealand captain believes that spinners often play a decisive role at Headingley, making Abrar’s skills particularly valuable to the team.
“Spinners are the ones who succeed there. A player like Abrar can make a big difference for us.” He added. “A lot of variety and the ability to strike in the powerplay and still in the middle stages, which I think is a key requirement at Headingley.”
Abrar entered the auction with a base price of £75,000, but the bidding competition between Sunrisers Leeds and Trent Rockets ultimately increased his price to £190,000, making him the most expensive Asian player at the 2026 Hundred auction.
He was also the second Pakistani player to be sold during the auction, Usman Tariq was bought by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000. Several other Pakistani stars including Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan and Sam Ayub remained unsold, while fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi withdrew his name even before the auction began.
Despite online criticism, Sunrisers Leeds management is confident in its decision. Vettori reiterated that the team is focused on building a strong team capable of challenging for the title.
Sunrisers Leeds, captained by Harry Brook, also added players like Ryan Rickelton, Jack Crawley, Matt Potts and Dan Lawrence during the auction. The squad already includes notable names like Brydon Carse, Mitchell Marsh and Nathan Ellis.
The 2026 season of The Hundred will run from July 21 to August 16, featuring 34 men’s and 34 women’s matches.
Also read: The Hundred 2026 Auction – Complete list of sold players with their prices