New Delhi, March 12 (NationPress) In a surprising move, Kavya Maran's franchise, Sunrisers Leeds, secured the services of Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed for a whopping £190,000 (approximately Rs 2.3 crore) during the inaugural men's Hundred auction on Thursday. This decision sparked considerable backlash from numerous Indian fans on social media.

Abrar made history by becoming the first Pakistani international player to be signed by an Indian-owned franchise for this tournament.

“Leeds has picked up Abrar Ahmed for £190k. He has mocked India previously with the infamous tea gesture and taunted Indian players during the Asia Cup. Shame on you SRH,” commented a user on X.

The signing of Abrar, who had a base price of £75,000, followed a competitive bidding war between Sunrisers Leeds and Trent Rockets just before the lunch break.

Previously known as Northern Superchargers, Sun TV acquired a 49 percent stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the remaining 51 percent from Yorkshire for around £100 million.

“Sunrisers Leeds has signed Abrar Ahmed for £190,000. He’s the same player who has consistently ridiculed Indians with that Tea Cup gesture. It’s clear that the notion of a British media agenda against Indian owners was unfounded!”

The media conglomerate also operates other teams such as Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL) and Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SA20). Initial reports hinted that IPL franchises would refrain from bidding on Pakistani players, and the early stages of Thursday’s auction seemed to support that until Abrar was selected.

Since 2009, no Pakistani player has participated in the Indian Premier League (IPL), with franchise owners generally steering clear of players from the nation when investing in global T20 leagues.

The ECB indicated last month that selections in the auction would strictly rely on cricketing performance, availability, and the specific needs of each team. While nine Pakistani players have participated in the first five seasons of the competition, none of the female players from the country were drafted in the women’s auction on Wednesday.

“Competing against them is one thing; paying players who have disrespected India during Operation Sindoor is another,” remarked another user on X.

“Why is there outrage when the BCCI has faced the same player thrice in the last Asia Cup following Operation Sindoor? Plus, this team isn't owned by SRK, so it will likely be forgotten,” another user noted.

Abrar was the second Pakistani player sold in the auction that morning, following the mystery spinner Usman Tariq, who was acquired by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000. Other notable Pakistani players like Saim Ayub, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan went unsold.

Led by Harry Brook and coached by Daniel Vettori, Sunrisers Leeds also acquired South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton, England’s Zak Crawley, Matt Potts, and Dan Lawrence early in the auction. The squad already includes players like Brydon Carse, Mitchell Marsh, and Nathan Ellis. The 2026 Hundred is scheduled from July 21 to August 16 and will showcase 34 men’s and 34 women’s matches.