Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The signing of Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed by Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred has sparked debate online, but the BCCI, through its vice president Rajeev Shukla, has distanced itself. The franchise, owned by the Sun Group, which also runs Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, bought Abrar for GBP 190,000 (around Rs 2.34 crore) during Thursday’s auction after a bidding battle with Trent Rockets. The tournament will take place from July 21 to August 16.
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla made it clear that the Indian board does not control decisions made in overseas leagues. “It doesn’t concern us. It’s not the IPL. What happens in The Hundred or other overseas leagues, we have nothing to do with it,” Shukla told PTI.Abrar’s signing triggered backlash on social media, and the Sunrisers Leeds X account was suspended briefly. The reaction reflects the long-standing absence of Pakistani players in the IPL since 2009, when worsening diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan effectively ended their participation in the league.Sunrisers Leeds came under the Sun Group’s control last year after it bought a 49% stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board and the remaining 51% from Yorkshire for about GBP 100 million. Sunrisers CEO Kavya Maran attended the auction.Interestingly, Abrar wasn’t the only Pakistan player picked in the auction. Mystery spinner Usman Tariq was earlier bought by Birmingham Phoenix for GBP 140,000, though that team has no IPL links.Despite the IPL ban, Pakistani players have still appeared in overseas leagues for teams connected to IPL owners. Recently, Several Pakistani cricketers have played for Indian-owned or co-owned franchises in overseas T20 leagues.Imad Wasim featured for Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the ILT20 in 2023–24 and later for Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket in 2024 and 2025, a team co-owned by the Delhi Capitals’ GMR Group. Zaman Khan also played for Seattle Orcas in MLC 2024. The same year, Mohammad Amir and Usman Tariq played for Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL, a franchise owned by Kolkata Knight Riders.
