"the priority was to get a spin bowler"
Abrar Ahmed defies talk of a “shadow ban” by becoming the first Pakistani player signed by one of the four Indian-owned teams in The Hundred.
Ahmed was bought by Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000 during the inaugural men’s player auction.
The signing provides relief for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which recently denied reports suggesting Indian-owned teams would operate a “shadow ban” on Pakistani players.
The Sunrisers are owned by the Sun media group, which also runs IPL side Sunrisers Hyderabad and South Africa’s Sunrisers Eastern Cape.
During the auction, the Sunrisers entered a bidding war with Trent Rockets and battled for Ahmed’s signature.
Ahmed currently ranks third in the world in the men’s international T20 bowling rankings.
He is also among a small group of Pakistani players signed by Indian-owned franchises in global T20 competitions.
Sunrisers Leeds head coach Dan Vettori said: “There wasn’t a discussion, it was just about who was the best option for us.
“We missed out on Adil Rashid, so then the priority was to get a spin bowler, and we didn’t think that quality was in the local market so we had to look overseas.”
However, the signing sparked online backlash, mainly among Indian cricket fans.
One person called the signing “disgusting” while another said:
“Shame on you”.
Abrar Ahmed has previously drawn criticism within sections of India’s online cricket community.
This is the same player who mocks Indian soldiers and the Indian public on social media while making disgusting comments about them.
Shame on Sunrisers Hyderabad and DMK, they’re from one family of traitors! ??#BoycottSunrisers #ShameOnSRH pic.twitter.com/j7LBgqBvYC
— ????? (?????) (@sanatan_kannada) March 12, 2026
The controversy stemmed from a social media post he shared before Ramadan. It featured a selfie with the caption: “Having the last cup of FANTASTIC evening TEA before Ramadan begins”.
Many interpreted the message as a reference to a viral meme involving Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was shot down and captured during a dogfight in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.
While in Pakistani custody, he appeared in a widely circulated video where he praised the “fantastic tea” he had been given.
The moment later became a meme on social media.
The debate resurfaced following India’s recent T20 World Cup triumph, where Varun Chakravarthy posted a photograph of himself holding the trophy while drinking tea.
His caption read: “A lot of distance was travelled to get a taste of this cup.”
The post appeared to be a dig at Ahmed.
Abrar Ahmed was not the only Pakistani cricketer selected during the auction.
Usman Tariq was bought by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000.
Several other Pakistani stars, however, went unsold.
Shadab Khan, Saim Ayub and Haris Rauf were among the top 50 players listed in the auction but failed to secure contracts.
Meanwhile, Sussex all-rounder James Coles became the most expensive player sold on the day. London Spirit bought the 21-year-old for £390,000 despite him not yet playing international cricket.
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