A big controversy has arisen in the cricket world after Kavya Maran-owned franchise Sunrisers Leeds signed Pakistani spinner. Abrar Ahmed During the men’s auction of The Hundred. The franchise, owned by Chennai-based Sun Group – which also runs IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) – found itself at the center of a social media storm soon after the deal was confirmed.
Fans immediately criticized the move on social media platforms and accused the franchise of ignoring national sentiment. The controversy escalated further when reports said that Kavya Maran herself took up the mantle during the bidding war, thereby securing the services of Abrar Ahmed.
The Hundred auction: Abrar Ahmed’s signing sparks debate
Abrar became the first Pakistani international cricketer to be signed by an Indian-owned franchise in The Hundred, a significant moment in franchise cricket. Sunrisers Leeds acquired the mystery spinner for £190,000 (approximately ₹2.34 crore) after a competitive bidding war with Trent Rockets.
The 27-year-old leg spinner, who is often nicknamed “Harry Potter” because of his glasses, entered the auction with a base price of £75,000. However, interest from several teams rapidly increased his price, ultimately making him the most expensive Asian player in the 2026 Hundred auction.
This signing is notable as Pakistani players have not been a part of the Indian Premier League since 2009 due to strained relations between India and Pakistan. Over the past few years, many IPL franchise owners investing in other T20 leagues around the world have also generally avoided signing Pakistani cricketers, leading to speculation of an unofficial “shadow ban”.
Sunrisers Leeds, formerly known as Northern Superchargers, were fully acquired by Sun TV last year in a deal reportedly worth around £100 million. The company purchased a 49% stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board and the remaining 51% stake from Yorkshire County Cricket Club, giving it full control of the franchise.
Interestingly, Sun Group’s other teams – Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 – have never signed an active Pakistani player before.
Fans brutally roast Kavya Maran
The announcement of Abrar’s signing triggered immediate reaction online. Soon after Sunrisers Leads posted the news on social media, users flooded the comment sections with criticism of franchise owner Kavya Maran.
Kavya Maran should be ashamed for buying this porky in her team
#thehundred #Have some Shame #SRH #IPL2026 #poetic death pic.twitter.com/UxkjcGYPrm
– Adamesh Dhoni (@AdamDhoni1) 13 March 2026
Kavya Maran should be ashamed
With Pakistani Abrar Ahmed in the team, I hope that David Warner and Bhuvneshwar will no longer be a part of Sunrisers.
poetic killing,#PunjabKings #outout JK Super Cement #IPL_2026 pic.twitter.com/gWIFCalxzB– Rolex 🇺🇸 (@TPD81498900) 12 March 2026
Kavya Maran destroys SRH pic.twitter.com/gGmsJTPWlF
– theboysthing (@theboysthing07) 12 March 2026
What compulsion was Kavya Maran.. tell everyone
you should be ashamed #poetic death #Have some Shame #AbrarAhmed #Sunrisers pic.twitter.com/mgGp7Sff3g
– RS 🇮🇳🇮🇳 (@rs_rajender) 12 March 2026
Many fans also pointed to Abrar’s past on-field gestures, notably a controversial tea cup gesture during the Asia Cup, which some Indian supporters interpreted as mocking Indian players.
One social media user wrote: “Leeds buy Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed for £190k. Abrar was used to mock India with a picture of him literally drinking tea and Indian players were mocked for unwanted celebrations in the Asia Cup. SRH, shame on you.”
Another comment read: “Sunrisers Leeds picked up Abrar Ahmed for £1,90,000. This is the same Abrar Ahmed who never gets tired of making fun of Indians for the price of a cup of tea. I don’t know what to say but one thing is clear, the entire agenda and propaganda of the British media against the Indian owners was baseless!”
Some fans also called for a boycott of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming IPL season.
https://x.com/hinduismOg/status/2032117630132502889
One user wrote: “Playing against the players is completely different from paying the players who made fun of India during Operation Sindoor.”
Others described the decision “Absolute disgrace,” Questioning whether the franchise has prioritized performance over the emotions of Indian cricket fans.
Adding another twist to the situation, Sunrisers Leeds’ official X (formerly Twitter) account was suspended just hours after Abrar’s signing was announced. Visitors attempting to access the page now see a simple message “Account has been suspended.”
Although the platform has not clarified the exact reason behind the suspension, the timing has fueled speculation that the intense online reaction may have played a role.
Also read: IPL 2026 – BCCI announces first phase schedule; RCB will face SRH in the opening match
Other Pakistani players in The Hundred auction
Abrar was not the only Pakistani player to find a buyer during the auction. Mystery spinner Usman Tariq was bought by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000 (approximately ₹1.72 crore). However, that franchise has no IPL ownership connection.
Meanwhile, several key players of Pakistan – including Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub – went unsold in the auction. Star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi had withdrawn his name even before the auction started.
Also read: Nahid Rana, Tanjeed Hasan Tamim shine, Bangladesh beats Pakistan in first ODI
