Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed, right, celebrates (AP/PTI)

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla has clarified that the board has no authority to intervene in the controversy surrounding the Sunrisers franchise signing Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed for the upcoming season of The Hundred.The franchise, which is owned by Sun TV Network, has been facing heavy criticism across social media platforms after acquiring Abrar during the players’ auction. Many users in India have voiced their anger over the decision, citing the prevailing national mood. Franchise owner Kavya Maran has also been targeted online, while the official X (formerly Twitter) account of Sunrisers Leeds was reportedly suspended amid the backlash.

Despite the growing criticism, the franchise has not yet issued an official statement. On Friday, however, Shukla made it clear that the matter does not fall under the BCCI’s jurisdiction since the tournament is played outside India.“This is not at all concerned with the IPL. It’s an overseas league. This is not in our domain. We cannot do anything. They have to take a call,” Shukla told news agency ANI on Friday afternoon.During Thursday’s auction, Abrar, currently ranked the world No.3 bowler in T20 Internationals, was bought by the franchise for £190,000 (approximately USD 255,000). At the auction table, head coach Daniel Vettori and Maran were seen placing the successful bid, beating competition from the Trent Rockets.

Sunrisers management explains decision to sign Abrar Ahmed

Following the signing, Vettori explained that the team targeted Abrar after missing out on England spinner Adil Rashid, who had already been drafted by another side. He also mentioned that Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq had been part of the franchise’s plans earlier, but once Abrar was secured, the management decided against pursuing another spinner.Indian investment in The Hundred expanded significantly in October 2025, with four teams in the competition receiving backing from Indian owners. Since then, speculation had circulated suggesting that franchises with Indian ownership might avoid signing Pakistani players. Sunrisers’ move to acquire Abrar effectively dispelled those rumours.In fact, only two Pakistani cricketers were picked during the men’s Hundred auction this year: Abrar and Tariq. Nevertheless, Sunrisers’ decision has triggered strong reactions in India, with many fans urging the franchise to reconsider the signing.

Backlash not the first controversy involving an IPL-linked franchise

This is not the first instance of an IPL-linked franchise drawing criticism for a foreign signing. Earlier this year, Kolkata Knight Riders faced backlash after including Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman in their squad. The criticism intensified following reports of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. Eventually, the situation cooled after the BCCI intervened and directed KKR to release the left-arm pacer.The fallout from that episode also affected international cricket. Bangladesh later declined to travel to India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, forcing tournament organisers to replace them with Scotland national cricket team in the 20-team competition, which was ultimately won by the India national cricket team.

Shoaib Akhtar and Mohsin Naqvi (Agency Image)

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar has indirectly questioned the leadership at the Pakistan Cricket Board after Pakistan crashed out of the T20 World Cup 2026 despite signing off their Super 8 campaign with a win over Sri Lanka.Pakistan’s victory in their final Group 2 fixture was not enough to overhaul New Zealand’s superior net run rate, which meant another semifinal miss at a global event. It marked Pakistan’s fourth straight failure at ICC tournaments, following early exits at the 2023 ODI World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Speaking on Tapmad, Akhtar did not mince words while criticising the team’s think tank. He labelled the management “clueless” and suggested that flawed selection calls over the past fortnight had cost Pakistan dearly.“Pakistan’s management looks completely clueless. Today’s team selection only confirmed that the XI picked over the last 15 days was wrong. There was one clear error — Saim Ayub should have played instead of Khawaja Nafay. Saim could have contributed with the ball as well,” Akhtar said.He pointed out that Pakistan’s strong showing against Sri Lanka highlighted what had been missing earlier in the tournament.“This selection showed that when you pick the right players for the right roles, they perform. Fakhar Zaman is a natural opener, yet he wasn’t played earlier. Today, Farhan, Fakhar and Abrar all delivered. That tells you everything.”Akhtar then shifted the spotlight towards PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, suggesting that while the chief may have good intentions, the structure around him is failing the team.“I have nothing against Mohsin Naqvi. From what I hear, he is a good person. He is one of the most powerful chairmen in Pakistan’s cricket history. He has influence, resources and authority. But if he cannot build a strong management structure, and the team has failed to qualify in four consecutive tournaments, then something is seriously wrong within the board.“I understand that he may not be a cricket expert and genuinely wants the team to do well. But is he seeking the right advice? It doesn’t appear so. This is a request to Naqvi: the people advising you are making you look bad. The selection committee is not doing you justice.“He may want success for Pakistan cricket, but the system around him is not helping. The real question is — who are these people? At this stage, Naqvi remains Pakistan cricket’s last hope, but he needs the right support structure to turn things around.”