WEB DESK: Pakistani leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed has been signed by Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000 (about $254,000) during Thursday’s men’s auction for The Hundred, despite earlier speculation that franchises owned by Indian investors might avoid recruiting players from Pakistan.
Earlier in February, BBC reported that teams such as Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds could refrain from signing Pakistani cricketers because of the political tensions between India and Pakistan.
Following the report, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) along with all eight tournament franchises clarified that players would not be excluded from selection on the basis of nationality.
Abrar, who made his international debut in 2024, has appeared in 38 T20 matches for Pakistan, claiming 52 wickets with an economy rate of 6.67.
During the auction, Sunrisers Leeds began bidding for the 27-year-old spinner at £130,000 before increasing their offer to beat competition from Trent Rockets.
Trent Rockets one of the teams not owned by Indian investors also tried to sign Pakistani player Usman Tariq, but he was eventually picked by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000. Meanwhile, Pakistan stars Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf remained unsold in the auction.
Pakistani players have largely been absent from the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009.
Among other notable deals, 21-year-old all-rounder James Coles, who represents Sussex County Cricket Club, attracted the highest price in the first phase of the auction after being bought by London Spirit for £390,000. Meanwhile, Welsh Fire secured the services of former England cricket team captain Joe Root and wicketkeeper-batter Jordan Cox.
The Hundred the only professional league using the 100-ball cricket format — will run from July 21 to August 16 this year. The tournament opened its franchises to private investment last year, with several teams purchased by owners associated with IPL franchises.
