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.

Abrar Ahmed and Kavya Maran

NEW DELHI: Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed was signed by Sunrisers Leeds during the Hundred Auction 2026, but the move sparked backlash online. After the franchise announced the signing on X, the post was flooded with negative comments, with some fans criticising an IPL-linked team for picking a Pakistani player.

Some posts even target Kavya Maran, co-owner of Sunrisers Leeds, for roping in the Pakistani bowler. Sunrisers Leeds, which is owned by the same group that runs Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League, bought the 27-year-old leg-spinner for £190,000. Meanwhile, another Pakistan spinner, Usman Tariq, was picked by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000.Before the auction, there had been speculation that franchises connected to the IPL might avoid signing Pakistani cricketers due to political tensions between India and Pakistan. Players from Pakistan have not featured in the IPL since 2009, and the two nations only face each other in global tournaments.Addressing the debate earlier, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the eight franchises had clarified that selections would be made purely on merit. The joint statement said picks would be based on “performance, availability, and the needs of each team.”Despite Ahmed’s signing, several Pakistan players had a mixed outcome at the auction. Fast bowler Haris Rauf went unsold at his reserve price of £100,000, while star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi withdrew before the auction began.Pakistan also struggled in the women’s auction held a day earlier, where Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal failed to attract any bids.Elsewhere in the auction, London Spirit paid £390,000 for uncapped English all-rounder James Cole, while Welsh Fire spent £540,000 combined on batter Jordan Cox and former England captain Joe Root.The 2026 season of The Hundred, featuring both men’s and women’s tournaments, will begin on July 21 and run for four weeks.