Kamal Ghorui
The Hundred auction on Thursday produced several talking points, with Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman and two Pakistan players finding buyers and grabbing headlines.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Mustafizur was snapped up by Birmingham Phoenix for GBP 100,000 (approximately Rs 1.23 crore), marking a fresh chapter after a turbulent few months that began with his sudden release from Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.The Bangladesh left-arm pacer had been let go by KKR at the direction of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, triggering widespread debate in Bangladesh. The decision created a diplomatic and cricketing ripple effect that eventually culminated in Bangladesh withdrawing from the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, turning Mustafizur’s franchise exit into one of the most talked-about controversies of the season.While Mustafizur’s signing grabbed attention, the auction also saw two Pakistan players picked. Mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed was bought by Sunrisers Leeds for GBP 190,000 (around Rs 2.34 crore) after a bidding war with Trent Rockets. Abrar’s signing is significant as Sunrisers Leeds are owned by the Chennai-based Sun Group, making him the first Pakistan player to join an Indian-owned franchise in the competition.Another Pakistan mystery spinner, Usman Tariq, was picked by Birmingham Phoenix for GBP 140,000 (about Rs 1.72 crore). However, Phoenix have no direct connection to any IPL franchise.Several other Pakistan stars failed to attract bids. Fast bowler Haris Rauf, all-rounder Saim Ayub and spinner Shadab Khan went unsold, while seasoned pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi had earlier withdrawn from the auction.Among other big deals, Sussex all-rounder James Coles secured the top bid of the day, joining London Spirit for GBP 390,000 (around Rs 4.8 crore).The upcoming edition of The Hundred is scheduled to run from July 21 to August 16.
