The Hundred auction delivered one of its most closely watched outcomes when Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed was signed by SunRisers Leeds, an IPL-linked franchise, ending speculation that teams connected to Indian Premier League ownership might avoid recruiting Pakistani players.
Abrar secured a deal worth £190K (approx. US$ 255K) with the Leeds-based side, whose ownership, the Sun Group, also owns IPL franchise SunRisers Hyderabad. The signing came during an auction that produced several major deals across the competition as teams finalised squads for the 2026 season.
Abrar Ahmed deal breaks earlier expectations around Pakistan players
Abrar’s move carried added significance because it involved a franchise tied to IPL ownership. As previously reported by cricexec, reports ahead of the auction suggested that IPL-linked teams in The Hundred could be reluctant to sign Pakistan players due to geopolitical tensions and historical selection patterns across global franchise leagues.
Four franchises — MI London, Manchester Super Giants, Southern Brave and SunRisers Leeds — are backed by investors linked to IPL teams following the ECB’s sale of equity stakes in the competition.
Despite those concerns, SunRisers Leeds entered the bidding and secured Abrar for £190K (approx. US$ 255K). The 27-year-old mystery spinner became the highest-profile Pakistan player selected by an IPL-affiliated team in the competition’s latest auction cycle.
The historic moment when Sunrisers Hyderabad went into a bidding war for Abrar Ahmed and Kavya Maran did everything possible to sign the Pakistani spinner 🇵🇰🇮🇳🚨pic.twitter.com/fLb1zQLI8c
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) March 12, 2026
The decision quickly triggered strong reactions on social media, particularly among Indian fans, with criticism directed at the SunRisers ownership group and the franchise’s decision to recruit the Pakistan international.
Much of the backlash referenced earlier social media posts attributed to Abrar Ahmed that circulated online in 2025 during a period of heightened cross-border tensions following the Pahalgam attack in Kashmir which triggered military hostilities between the country. Some users argued that the franchise should have considered those posts before pursuing the spinner at the auction.
The criticism was also directed at SunRisers Hyderabad CEO Kavya Maran, who was actively involved in the bidding process and ultimately secured Abrar after competing interest from Trent Rockets during the auction.
Shame on SRH man wtf disgusting.
Paying so much money to a guy who openly mocks India on the Tea thing .
🤢🤢 https://t.co/WGHC4Rfp5d— ayan (@TheUpperCut_) March 12, 2026
Unbelievable. 😡 Just saw the news about the SRH-owned team picking a Pakistan player in the auction. Do these owners even care about the fans' sentiments?
To see an IPL-backed team go and do this is a total slap in the face. Absolute disgrace.
#BoycottSRH #IPL2026 #Shameful https://t.co/eGjlNUTHnA— A . K .S (@Aaka08Singh) March 12, 2026
The backlash also prompted comparisons with a recent controversy in franchise cricket. Earlier in 2026, Kolkata Knight Riders terminated the contract of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman shortly after purchasing him at the IPL auction following political pressure and public criticism in India. Some social media users speculated whether a similar situation could arise in Abrar Ahmed’s case, although SunRisers Leeds operates under the jurisdiction of the England and Wales Cricket Board.
At the time of publication, the official X (formerly Twitter) account of SunRisers Leeds was unavailable and displayed a notice stating that the account had been suspended. It was not immediately clear whether the suspension was related to the online backlash following the signing of Abrar Ahmed.
Another Pakistan spinner, Usman Tariq, was also picked up during the sale. Birmingham Phoenix — a franchise without IPL ownership links — signed the 28-year-old for £140K (approx. US$ 188K). Several other Pakistan internationals, including Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub, went unsold.
ECB reiterates inclusivity stance amid earlier concerns
The debate over Pakistan player participation had already drawn attention from the England and Wales Cricket Board before the auction.
As previously reported by cricexec, the ECB wrote to directors of cricket at all eight Hundred teams ahead of the auction, reminding franchises of their responsibilities under anti-discrimination rules and warning that disciplinary action could follow if recruitment practices breached those standards.
The governing body also publicly emphasised that the competition remained open to international talent. The England and Wales Cricket Board said in an official statement, “The Hundred welcomes men’s and women’s players from all over the world and we would expect the eight teams to reflect that.”
The ECB added in the same statement, “Almost 1,000 cricketers from 18 nations have registered for the Hundred auction, with representation on the longlist of over 50 players respectively from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and West Indies.”
The ECB and all eight franchises later reinforced that message in a joint statement reaffirming the tournament’s inclusivity framework. “The Hundred was established to reach new audiences, grow the game of cricket and ensure that everyone – regardless of their ethnicity, gender, faith, nationality or other – can feel they belong in our sport. This has been a guiding principle from the outset and remains at the heart of everything we do,” the ECB said in the statement.
The statement added, “Players must not be excluded on the grounds of their nationality,” while noting that “All eight teams commit to selection being based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team.”
Major deals highlight strong demand in The Hundred auction
Beyond the geopolitical context, the auction itself saw several players command significant fees as franchises strengthened squads for the upcoming season.
London Spirit secured the highest price of the opening round when they signed Sussex all-rounder James Coles for £390K (approx. US$ 523K). Welsh Fire committed a combined £540K (approx. US$ 724K) to England batter Jordan Cox (£300K) (approx. US$ 402K) and former England captain Joe Root (£240K) (approx. US$ 322K), while Southern Brave signed spinner Adil Rashid for £250K (approx. US$ 335K).
Elsewhere, MI London picked up James Vince for £190K (approx. US$ 255K), SunRisers Leeds added Dan Lawrence for £210K (approx. US$ 281K) and Zak Crawley for £180K (approx. US$ 241K), while London Spirit secured Jonny Bairstow for £160K (approx. US$ 214K).
Former England all-rounder Ravi Bopara, speaking to Sky Sports, highlighted the pressure that can accompany such a high valuation for younger players. “As a young man with that price tag on his head, there will naturally be some pressure on him to perform. Hopefully he’s young – and naïve enough – not to feel the pressure of the price tag,” he said.
Bopara added that the Sussex all-rounder’s abilities justified the investment, noting: “I had the pleasure of playing with him at Sussex – he’s a very promising cricketer. He has plenty of time when he bats and contributes with the ball as well. He’s done well in franchise cricket around the world, so it’s a great opportunity.”
Former England captain Eoin Morgan also pointed to the long-term potential behind Coles’ record fee. Speaking to Sky Sports, Morgan said, “His ceiling is huge. He has foundations in the shortest format of the game but he also has a strong base with eight first-class hundreds.”
He added that the all-rounder profile remains one of the most sought-after in franchise competitions. “He had impressed with the England Lions, he can bat in the top five and he offers a huge amount with the ball in the powerplay or the middle overs. All-rounders are the most sought-after players, so no surprise with Coles at all.”
The Hundred prepares for its next season
The 2026 edition of The Hundred will begin on July 21 and run for four weeks, featuring both men’s and women’s competitions across the eight city-based franchises.
The latest auction marks the first full player sale since private investment reshaped the competition’s ownership structure, with stakes in all eight teams sold to investors last year.
