Sunrisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori has provided a detailed explanation behind the signing of Pakistan’s spinner, Abrar Ahmed, in the men’s player auction for The Hundred.

The Sun TV-owned franchise acquired the spinner for USD 255,000, marking a landmark moment as the first Pakistani player ever signed by an Indian-owned team in the tournament’s history.

Vettori clarified that the decision was driven by the dynamics of supply and demand during the auction process. The team had initially targeted local talent but had to look abroad once their primary targets were off the board.

“Once we missed out on Adil Rashid, who was our priority early on, we looked at overseas spinners. Abrar was one of four or five players on our radar, and we are very pleased to have him,” Vettori stated following the conclusion of the draft. He emphasized that the quality required for the conditions at Headingley was not available locally, necessitating an overseas search.

“There wasn’t any discussion about not picking Pakistani players. We just focused on who was the best option,” he added.

Pakistani players have not participated in the Indian Premier League since the inaugural 2008 season due to geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan.

Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed was bought by Sunrisers Leeds for 190,000 pounds ($254,201.00) in the men’s auction for The Hundred on Thursday, ​despite media reports that Indian-owned teams might avoid signing ‌cricketers from Pakistan.

In February, the BBC reported that Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds would not consider signing Pakistani players for the United Kingdom-based competition amid tensions between neighbours India and Pakistan.

Social Media Backlash and Controversy

The signing has not been without intense friction. Fans on social media have unleashed fury upon the SunRisers franchise, citing Abrar’s past social media activity. Critics pointed to a video featuring Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub where Abrar reportedly made comments about “drinking tea,” which many interpreted as a mocking reference to the 2019 India Pakistan conflict.

Following the report, the England and Wales Cricket ⁠Board (ECB) and all eight franchises stressed that players must not be excluded from selection based on nationality.

Abrar has played 38 Twenty20s for ​Pakistan since making his debut in 2024, taking 52 wickets with an economy rate of 6.67.

Sunrisers opened the bidding for the 27-year-old at 130,000 pounds before raising their bid to fend off interest from Trent Rockets.

Trent Rockets, who are not Indian-owned, also attempted to sign Abrar’s compatriot Usman ‌Tariq, ⁠who ultimately joined Birmingham Phoenix for 140,000 pounds, while Pakistan’s Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf went unsold.

Pakistani players have been effectively barred from the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009.

James Coles, a 21-year-old all-rounder who plays for Sussex, ⁠fetched the highest price in the first half of the auction as he was bought by London Spirit for 390,000 pounds, while Welsh Fire picked up ⁠former England captain Joe Root and Jordan Cox.

Trent Rockets, who are not Indian-owned, also attempted to sign Abrar’s compatriot Usman ‌Tariq, ⁠who ultimately joined Birmingham Phoenix for 140,000 pounds, while Pakistan’s Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf went unsold.

Pakistani players have been effectively barred from the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009.

James Coles, a 21-year-old all-rounder who plays for Sussex, ⁠fetched the highest price in the first half of the auction as he was bought by London Spirit for 390,000 pounds, while Welsh Fire picked up ⁠former England captain Joe Root and Jordan Cox.

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Titans named former India wicketkeeper-batter Vijay Dahiya as their new assistant coach ahead of the upcoming edition of Indian Premier League, further strengthening the franchise’s coaching setup.

A respected figure in Indian cricket, Dahiya represented the country in 19 ODIs and two Tests and enjoyed a successful domestic career with Delhi before transitioning into coaching. 

He later guided Delhi to the Ranji Trophy title in the 2007–08 season and has since built a strong coaching portfolio across domestic and IPL teams.