The signing of Pakistan mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed by Sunrisers Leeds during the The Hundred 2026 auction has sparked widespread debate, prompting a response from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla clarified on Friday that the board has no authority to intervene in the matter since the deal is related to a foreign league. Speaking to ANI, Shukla said the decision falls outside the BCCI’s jurisdiction and that the franchise itself will have to take a call regarding the situation.
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Sunrisers Leeds secured Abrar Ahmed for £190,000 (around $255,000) during the inaugural men’s auction held in London. The signing made him the first Pakistani cricketer to be picked by a team owned by an Indian company in The Hundred. The franchise is owned by the Sun TV Network, which also operates Sunrisers Hyderabad and Sunrisers Eastern Cape.
However, the move triggered backlash on social media, with critics targeting co-owner Kavya Maran and questioning the decision to sign a Pakistani player. The controversy also resurfaced claims regarding alleged past remarks by Abrar about the Indian armed forces during the period surrounding Operation Sindoor.
The acquisition comes after Sun TV completed a full takeover of the franchise, previously known as Northern Superchargers, in a deal worth around £100 million. Notably, despite IPL-linked teams participating in The Hundred, no active Pakistan international has played in the Indian Premier League since 2008 due to ongoing geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan.
