Indian Premier League franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has landed in controversy after its sister team Sunrisers Leeds signed Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed in the latest edition of The Hundred. The England-based franchise acquired the 27-year-old leg-spinner for £190,000 (around ₹2.34 crore) at the 2026 player auction held at Piccadilly Lights in London.
Soon after the signing, social media erupted in criticism, with many users accusing the franchise, owned by the Sun Group led by Kalanithi Maran, of backing a cricketer who has previously mocked India and Indian armed forces personnel online. Several posts specifically referenced Ahmed’s earlier social media activity targeting Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, the Indian Air Force pilot who became a national hero after the 2019 India-Pakistan aerial skirmish following the Balakot airstrikes, during which he reportedly shot down a Pakistani F-16 before being captured and later released.
One X user, posting under the handle “Brutal Truth,” wrote, “I have unfollowed and blocked @SunRisers and @sunrisersleeds for buying Abrar Ahmed. He mocked Abhinandan with his silly social media posts. Can’t support an IPL team that is not true to its own country.”
I have unfollowed and BLOCKED @SunRisers and @sunrisersleeds for buying Abrar Ahmed.
— Brutal Truth (@sarkarstix) March 12, 2026
He mocked Abhinandan with his silly social media posts. Can't support an IPL team which is not true to its own country
Another user described the decision as “shameful,” while others drew comparisons with earlier controversies involving Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman.
User Rajiv wrote, “Buying Abrar Ahmed is 1000 times worse than buying Mustafizur Rahman. Mustafizur never said a word against India but still we were outraged when he got picked in the IPL. We should raise an even stronger voice against Abrar Ahmed.”
Buying Abrar Ahmed is 1000 times worse than buying Mustafizur Rahman.
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) March 12, 2026
Mustafizur Rahman never said a word against India but still we were so outraged when he got picked in IPL, I hope we don't act like a hypocrite & raise more voice against this mf Abrar Ahmed who gotta picked…
Another post accused the franchise of signing a player who had “repeatedly mocked Abhinandan and India on social media.”
Abrar Ahmed has repeatedly mocked Abhinandan and India on his social media. Imagine picking someone like him. SRH have picked a potential Te££o£ist. pic.twitter.com/BFkFyfcqbu
— R A T N I S H (@LoyalSachinFan) March 12, 2026
Abrar Ahmed’s signing is notable because it marks a rare instance of a franchise linked to the IPL ecosystem recruiting a Pakistani cricketer, even if the deal has been made in an overseas league. Sunrisers Leeds, formerly known as Northern Superchargers, was taken over by the Sun Group earlier this year, bringing it into the SRH franchise network.
At the auction, Sunrisers outbid Trent Rockets to secure Ahmed’s services. His participation in the tournament, however, remains subject to clearance from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Surprisingly, Ahmed, 27, a leg-spinner who has represented Pakistan across formats, has not been a regular for the Pakistan national side. While he was selected in the 15-member squad for the recently concluded T20 World Cup, he rarely played matches. In one of the few matches he played, particularly against India, he was taken for runs by prolific batsman Ishan Kishan, who welcomed him with a stunning six over fine leg.
This will be Ahmed’s first appearance in a European T20 league. Previously, he has only played franchise cricket in competitions such as the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), and Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States.
Meanwhile, at the same auction, Pakistani mystery spinner Usman Tariq, known for his controversial pause in his bowling action that critics refer to as illegal, was signed by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000, becoming the first Pakistani player sold at this year’s Hundred auction.
