The decision of Sunrisers Leeds to sign Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed in the Hundred auction has invited criticism from some Indian fans. Head coach Daniel Vettori responded to the critical comments by saying that the decision was made only by looking at the cricketing needs and the auction dynamics, and no external considerations played a part. On Thursday, the Sun TV-owned franchise got Abrar Ahmed at the price of USD 255 000, making him the first Pakistani cricketer to be bought by an Indian-owned team in the franchise tournament of England. This step led to a lot of discussions over the internet; some fans even blamed Sunrisers Hyderabad owner Kavya Maran for ignoring the national sentiments while increasing the strength of the team.
After the auction, Vettori said that initially, they were thinking of England leg-spinner Adil Rashid as their main choice. But when Southern Brave got Rashid early in the auction, the management had to look for overseas spin-bowling options in a hurry. Vettori said that Abrar Ahmed was one of the several spinners that the team had been keeping track of. When we lost out on Adil Rashid, we quickly tried to get an overseas spinner. We had four or five options in our mind, and Abrar was one of them. We are glad to have him, he stated.
🚨 SUNRISERS LEEDS ACCOUNT SUSPENDED 🚨
The official X account of Sunrisers Leeds was suspended after facing heavy outrage for buying Abrar Ahmed in The Hundred Auction 🤯
Indian’s are seriously angry with Kavya Maran’s decision of buying Abrar Ahmed pic.twitter.com/YyofKTY88r
— Fan Account Richard Kettlebourogh (@RichKettle07) March 13, 2026
Their decision also coincided with the absence of Pakistani cricketers, who are the ones best actively playing, in the Indian Premier League because of the long-running political tensions between India and Pakistan. Yet, players from Pakistan can still take part in the other global leagues besides the IPL, for example, The Hundred, where several teams are owned or supported by Indian business groups.
Daniel Vettori On Abrar Ahmed
Vettori pointed out that the team had never internally discussed the possibility of excluding Pakistani players. Rather, the management had their eyes on the entire list of players that were available in the auction pool and were only concerned with choosing the ones that best fit their team.
🚨SIGNING ABRAR AHMED WASN’t A BRAINFADE. IT WAS A CALCULATED DECISION
Sunrisers Leeds coach Daniel Vettori has admitted that Abrar Ahmed was actually a “priority” at the auction and that the franchise had no instructions to avoid Pakistani players. Kavya Maran herself led the… pic.twitter.com/EKq582oBsA
— Brutal Truth (@sarkarstix) March 13, 2026
He also spoke of Abrar’s recent playing opportunities. These include his coming to the Australian side in a two-match series before the T20 World Cup. In Vettori’s opinion, the Australian players’ feedback was that Abrar’s deceptive spin and different types of deliveries could cause great problems for the batsmen.
The coach went on to say that the pitch at Headingley typically supports spin bowling, so Abrar’s selection is a very important strategic decision. Nevertheless, while the discussion on the sidelines is going on, the club is sure that the Pakistani spinner will add a great variety and the ability to take wickets to their bowling strength.
Also Read: CSK in Legal Trouble as Kavya Maran Takes MS Dhoni’s Team to Court Ahead of IPL 2026
