Kavya Maran’s franchise buys Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed who mocked India after Operation Sindoor
Usman Tariq also found a bidder, but a non-IPL-related franchise.
SunRisers Leeds (formerly Northern Superchargers) have just bought Pakistani leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed at The Hundred 2026 auction. Despite reports suggesting that Indian Premier League (IPL)-linked franchises won’t bid for any cricketers from Pakistan, SunRisers went hard to acquire Abrar.
SunRisers buy Abrar Ahmed
Trent Rockets had initially started the bid at £100,000, but SunRisers joined in quickly. They both went toe-to-toe until the figure reached £190,000 (approximately INR 2.34 crore). Then the Rockets pulled out. Abrar became just the second Pakistani to find a bidder in The Hundred 2026 auction after Birmingham Phoenix acquired Usman Tarif, for whom SunRisers didn’t bid. Shadab Khan, Saim Ayub, and Haris Rauf didn’t get any bids. Meanwhile, Shaheen Shah Afridi pulled out of The Hundred 2026 auction just moments before.
It’s perhaps the first time since Pakistani cricketers were banned from the IPL from 2009 onwards that a franchise with links to India has signed a Pakistani cricketer. In the SA20, where all teams are IPL-backed, no Pakistani player features. The same has happened in every league until now.
Decision causes uproar
SunRisers Leeds’ decision to buy Abrar made several unhappy online in India. For those who are unaware, Abrar had mocked the Indian armed forces after Operation Sindoor in May. He had used the incident of Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman being captured by the Pakistan Air Force. The images of Abhinandan drinking tea have been used by several Pakistanis to take aim at India. Abrar was one of those who took part as well.
Pakistani players at The Hundred auction 2026
- Abrar Ahmed – £190,000 (SunRisers Leeds)
- Usman Tariq – £140,000 (Birmingham Phoenix)
- Haris Rauf – Unsold for now
- Shadab Khan – Unsold for now
- Saim Ayub – Unsold for now
- Shaheen Shah Afridi (pulled out)
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Kavya Maran’s franchise buys Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed who mocked India after Operation Sindoor
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