Sunrisers Leeds have faced strong criticism on social media after the Indian-owned franchise signed Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed during the inaugural player auction of The Hundred tournament held in London this week.
The controversy emerged shortly after the franchise announced the signing of the Pakistani international for £190,000 (around $252,000), prompting thousands of reactions from cricket fans online.
The backlash highlights the continuing political sensitivities between India and Pakistan that have often influenced sporting engagements between the two countries.
Relations between the two nations have remained strained for years, and their cricket teams generally meet only during global tournaments such as ICC events.
Pakistan players have also not participated in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009 following a breakdown in cricketing ties linked to diplomatic tensions.
Against this backdrop, there had been speculation ahead of the auction that Pakistan players might face an informal “shadow ban” during the player draft of The Hundred.
Some analysts suggested that franchises with links to IPL teams might avoid bidding for Pakistani players.
Four of the eight teams participating in The Hundred are partly owned by companies that also control IPL franchises.
These include MI London, Manchester Super Giants, Sunrisers Leeds and Southern Brave.
Despite the speculation, Sunrisers Leeds proceeded to sign Abrar Ahmed during the auction, securing his services for the upcoming tournament.
The announcement of the signing quickly drew criticism from sections of Indian cricket fans on social media platforms.
Several users questioned the decision of the franchise’s Indian owners and criticised the move in online comments.
Some critics also referred to past social media posts attributed to Ahmed following the India–Pakistan conflict in May 2025.
According to those posts circulating online, Ahmed had allegedly criticised India and called for fans to boycott the IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad.
However, the authenticity and context of those posts were not immediately confirmed.
The controversy intensified after the official social media account of Sunrisers Leeds on the platform X was temporarily suspended on Thursday.
The account was restored on Friday with a new follower base, though comments about the signing continued to dominate discussions.
Similar reactions appeared on the team’s Instagram account, where users again raised concerns about the recruitment of the Pakistani spinner.
The debate also spilled over onto the social media pages of Sunrisers Hyderabad, the IPL franchise owned by the Sun Group media conglomerate.
Abrar Ahmed was among two Pakistan players bought in the auction.
The other was Usman Tariq, who was signed by the United States-backed Birmingham Phoenix franchise.
In the women’s auction held earlier, Pakistan players Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal remained unsold.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had earlier said that the franchises participating in The Hundred would select players based on performance rather than nationality.
The board reiterated its commitment to merit-based selection when the ownership structure of the tournament franchises was finalised earlier this year.
The Hundred, a 100-ball format tournament introduced by the ECB, continues to expand its global player pool as it prepares for upcoming seasons.
