Key Points
- Sunrisers Leeds signed Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed in The Hundred auction
- Abrar became the first Pakistan player picked by an Indian-owned franchise in the league
- The franchise’s official X account appeared suspended hours after the signing
London: Sunrisers Leeds created headlines during The Hundred player auction after signing Pakistan mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, a move that quickly sparked reactions across social media.
The franchise secured Abrar for £190,000 (about $255,000) during the auction in London, making him the first Pakistan player to join an Indian-owned team in The Hundred.
Sunrisers Leeds is owned by the Sun TV media group, which also controls the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise in the, Indian Premier League.
Social Media Backlash
Soon after the signing was announced, the franchise began trending online as fans reacted to the move.
Several users on social media criticized the decision, citing the long-running political tensions between India and Pakistan that have historically limited cricketing exchanges between the two countries.
Pakistan players have not featured in the Indian Premier League since 2008.
Team’s X Account Suspended
Hours after the auction, users noticed that the official X account of Sunrisers Leeds appeared suspended.
When attempting to open the page, visitors were shown a message stating that the account had been suspended.
The platform did not publicly provide a reason for the suspension. X typically restricts accounts that violate its rules or policies.
It remains unclear whether the suspension is connected to the backlash surrounding the signing.
Before the auction, there had been speculation that IPL-linked teams might avoid signing Pakistan players due to political sensitivities.
However, Sunrisers Leeds moved ahead and secured Abrar after entering a bidding contest with Trent Rockets.
🚨SUNRISES LEEDS KAVYA MARAN PICK PAKISTANI PLAYERS.🚨
- Abrar Ahmed Sold to Sunrises leeds at INR 2.2 Crore.😞
First pakisthani player pick by Indian team 🤯pic.twitter.com/3TYywFfWRdSunrisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori said the team focused purely on cricketing requirements.
“Once we missed out on Adil Rashid, we moved to the overseas spinner category,” Vettori said.
He added that the coaching staff had received feedback from players who recently faced Abrar in international cricket and believed his variations could be effective in English conditions.
Growing Financial Power of The Hundred
The auction also highlighted the increasing financial strength of The Hundred competition.
Sussex all-rounder James Coles emerged as the most expensive player in the auction, securing a deal worth £390,000 with London Spirit after a bidding war.
Other notable signings included Joe Root (£240,000 to Welsh Fire) and Adil Rashid (£250,000 to Southern Brave).
Abrar’s signing nonetheless became one of the most widely discussed moments of the auction due to the political and cricketing context surrounding Pakistan players.