Abrar Ahmed Signed by Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred Auction
Tekkabuzz999 Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed was bought by Sunrisers Leeds for 190,000 pounds ($254,201) during the men’s auction for The Hundred on Thursday. His signing came despite media reports suggesting that Indian-owned franchises might avoid selecting Pakistani cricketers.
Abrar has represented Pakistan in 38 Twenty20 internationals since making his debut in 2024. During that time, the 27-year-old has taken 52 wickets while maintaining an impressive economy rate of 6.67.
Concerns Over Pakistani Players’ Participation
In February, the BBC reported that several teams — including Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds — might not consider signing Pakistani players for the UK-based tournament. The speculation was linked to ongoing political tensions between neighboring countries India and Pakistan.
Following the report, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and all eight franchises emphasized that players should not be excluded from selection based on nationality.
Competitive Bidding and Tournament Details
Sunrisers Leeds opened the bidding for Abrar Ahmed at 130,000 pounds before increasing their offer to secure the deal and fend off interest from Trent Rockets.
Trent Rockets, which is not owned by Indian investors, also attempted to sign Abrar’s compatriot Usman Tariq. Tariq ultimately joined Birmingham Phoenix for 140,000 pounds, while Pakistan players Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf went unsold in the auction.
Pakistani cricketers have effectively been barred from the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009. Meanwhile, The Hundred — the only cricket league in the world that uses a 100-ball format — will take place from July 21 to August 16. The competition opened to private investment last year, with four franchises acquired by IPL owners.
