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Sunrisers face backlash for $250,000 signing of Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed for Hundred competition
- On March 13, 2026, Sunrisers Leeds signed Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed at The Hundred auction, prompting a social-media backlash and suspension of their X accounts.
- Abrar Ahmed had drawn criticism after posting material that appeared to mock Indian soldiers during Operation Sindoor, prompting fans on X/Twitter to call for bans and boycotts.
- In the new-auction format, Abrar was available and is a top-ranked T20 bowler, with other Pakistan players having mixed auction results, including some going unsold.
- Fans on X/Twitter demanded sponsors pull out and bans after Sunrisers Leeds and Kavya Maran faced strong criticism for signing Abrar Ahmed yesterday.
- Despite the IPL ban, Pakistani players remain banned from the IPL, yet Indian-linked Hundred teams signed at least one Pakistan player after half of The Hundred franchises gained Indian investment in February 2025.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Pakistani cricketer Abrar Ahmed was bought by Kavya Maran's team Sunrisers Leeds at auction. Following the purchase of Abrar, the Sunrisers franchise has come under criticism. Some of Abrar's old posts and videos, which are anti-India, are going viral.
Indian-owned Sunrisers face backlash after signing Pakistan’s Ahmed for Hundred
LONDON (AFP): Sunrisers Leeds are facing a fierce social media backlash after the Indian-owned Hundred franchise signed Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed this week. A longstanding political stand-off between India and Pakistan means the two nations only play each other in major global cricket tournaments. Cricketers from Pakistan have not featured in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009 because of the deep-seated diplomatic tensions between the…
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