Indore, (March 13) IANS Spiritual leader and speaker Aniruddhacharya has taken a stand against Kavya Maran, the co-owner of Sunrisers Leeds, for acquiring Pakistan's leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed during the inaugural men's Hundred auction in 2026, questioning why there is such a fondness for Pakistan among Indians.

Sunrisers Leeds, part of the same ownership group as Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL), secured the 27-year-old leg-spinner for £190,000.

In an interview with IANS at the 'Sanatan Premier League' in Indore, Aniruddhacharya expressed, "They (Pakistan) will utilize that money to pose threats against us. We should prioritize keeping our finances within India. We need to strive for self-sufficiency, or 'Aatmnirbhar Bharat'. Instead of Pakistani players, we should support our Indian talent. Why extend such affection to a nation that questions our faith before inflicting harm? Our Indian players deserve recognition here."

Highlighting the significance of the first-ever 'Sanatan Premier League', the spiritual leader remarked, "Other cricket leagues have existed, so why not this one?"

He further asserted that initiatives like this guide children towards a promising future.

"Lord Krishna also engaged in the 'gyaan' game. Everyone should participate in sports for better health," he added.

Aniruddhacharya emphasized that religious leaders act in the nation's best interests.

"Children from remote villages, previously unknown, now have a platform. This wonderful initiative by religious leaders will undoubtedly benefit these kids' futures, enabling them to contribute to the nation through their earnings."

Meanwhile, the official X account of Sunrisers Leeds was suspended shortly after the IPL team finalized the signing of Abrar Ahmed during The Hundred 2026 auction held on Thursday.

Abrar made history as the first Pakistani player to be signed by an Indian-owned franchise in this tournament.

The decision to recruit Abrar sparked backlash from fans, who took to X to denounce the IPL franchise's owner, labeling the move as "anti-national."

Just hours after acquiring Abrar for £190,000 (approximately Rs 2.3 crore), the official X account of Sunrisers Leeds faced suspension.

Although the social media platform X has not clarified the reason, users who try to access the account receive a pop-up message stating, "Social media account suspended. X suspends accounts that violate the microblogging site's rules."

Since 2009, no Pakistani players have participated in the IPL, as the franchise owners, who invest in various T20 leagues globally, have largely refrained from signing players from Pakistan.