NEW DELHI: Amid growing discontent over the signing of Pakistani leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed by Indian-owned franchise Sunrisers Leeds in the inaugural men’s The Hundred 2026 auction, BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla clarified that the board cannot intervene in matters related to foreign leagues.
“It is not in our domain (IPL), they have done it for some foreign league. They will have to take a call; we cannot do anything,” Shukla said, speaking to ANI.
Sunrisers Leeds secured Abrar for £190,000 (US$255,000) in London, making him the first Pakistani international to be signed by an Indian-owned team in the tournament. The move has drawn heavy criticism on social media, with many highlighting Abrar’s alleged remarks mocking the Indian Air Force and Army during the events of Operation Sindoor in May last year.
The Indian media conglomerate Sun TV, which completed a full takeover of the franchise (formerly Northern Superchargers) last year, acquired a 49 percent stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the remaining 51 percent from Yorkshire for around £100 million. Sun TV’s sister franchises include Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL) and Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SA20).
Sunrisers Leeds won a bidding war against Trent Rockets to secure Abrar shortly before the lunch break.
According to some reports, there were questions over whether the four hundred franchises owned by IPL investors would bid for Pakistani players amid reports of a potential “shadow ban,” despite all eight teams committing to selections based on “performance, availability and the needs of each team.”
Abrar became the second Pakistani player sold in the auction after mystery spinner Usman Tariq, who was picked up by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000 (US$187,000).
While Pakistani players have featured in other global T20 leagues owned or partially owned by IPL franchises, no active Pakistan international has played in the IPL since 2008, reflecting the long-standing geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan.
Agencies