Mumbai, March 17 (NationPress) Pakistan's enigmatic spinner Abrar Ahmed remains unfazed by the potential backlash, particularly remarks from legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, regarding his recent signing with the Indian-owned franchise, Sunrisers Leeds, during the auction for the forthcoming edition of The Hundred, as reported on Tuesday.

Abrar, who was ranked as high as second in the ICC rankings until last month and currently stands third, was acquired by Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000 last week. The franchise, which also owns Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League, is facing considerable criticism in India for this signing. However, Abrar is reportedly unconcerned about the comments surrounding the decision, according to Telecom Asia Sport.

Gavaskar criticized the signing, suggesting it indirectly supports the Pakistani military, which, he claims, harms Indian soldiers.

While both the Pakistan Cricket Board and Abrar have remained silent on the backlash, sources indicate that there are no worries as the issue lies between the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the franchise.

"The uproar over Abrar's signing is not surprising, but he is not letting it affect him," sources from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) told www.telecomasia.net.

"Abrar registered for The Hundred as he is eager to showcase his skills in international leagues and was signed as one of the top three bowlers in T20I rankings, which is well-deserved," the report mentioned, citing sources.

Coach of Sunrisers Leeds, Daniel Vettori, communicated the signing to Abrar and encouraged him to stay connected and prepared to excel.

Vettori, a renowned spinner himself with 442 international matches for New Zealand, supported the signing, stating, "Once we missed out on Adil Rashid [to Southern Brave], who was our initial priority, we turned our attention to overseas spinners. Abrar was among four or five candidates we considered, and we are very pleased to have secured him." This was expressed after the auction concluded.

Abrar's signing occurs amid threats from the ECB, warning that The Hundred franchises could face disciplinary action if there is proof of neglecting Pakistani players based on nationality during the auction. This warning followed a BBC report indicating that four Indian-owned teams—Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds—would not consider Pakistani cricketers due to a blanket ban stemming from strained relations between India and Pakistan.

Relations between the countries have deteriorated significantly since the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in April of last year. New Delhi accused Islamabad of supporting the attacks, a claim that Pakistan has denied, leading to a four-day military conflict with both nations declaring victory.

Former Pakistan Under-19 skipper and Yorkshire player based in Leeds, Azeem Rafiq, condemned Gavaskar's remarks as unacceptable.

"This is absolutely ridiculous and should be condemned. How are such comments acceptable? I don't care how many runs you've scored. Vile stuff from Gavaskar," Rafiq stated on social media.