BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla Breaks Silence On Kavya Maran-Owned SunRisers Leeds Buying Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed In The Hundred Auction

Amid the outrage over Kavya Maran-owned SunRisers Leeds acquiring Abrar Ahmed in the Men’s Hundred 2026 auction, the BCCI has reacted to that. Vice-President Rajeev Shuka, on Friday, has sidelined themselves from the matter. Shukla underlined that they cannot have a say in this matter as it’s not in their domain and that it’s done for a foreign league.

“This doesn’t come in our domain” – Rajeev Shukla distances himself from Kavya Maran’s decision

The signing has sparked backlash on social media against Sunrisers Leeds co-owner Kavya Maran, with critics pointing to alleged remarks by the 27-year-old spinner mocking the Indian Air Force and Army during the period surrounding the events of Operation Sindoor in May last year. Speaking to ANI, Shukla had stated:

“IPL ke liye jo aap sawaal puch rahe hain. Humaara adhikaar, kshetra, IPL tak aata hai. Bahar kis league mein kaun kya kar raha hai usse hume utna matlab nahin hai, kis khilaadi ko lete hain. Usme hum kaise dakhal de sakte hain. Woh Unke upar hain woh kya karte hain. It’s up to the franchise team what they do outside India, if they are taking some player outside India in that league, we are least concerned because in IPL, there’s no such player. (What you are asking about is the IPL, this doesn’t come in our domain. Our control is till IPL. What they are outside this league or which players they pick is not our concern. How can we interfere in that. It’s up to them. It’s up to the franchise team what they do outside India, if they are taking some player outside India in that league, we are least concerned because in IPL, there’s no such player)

According to ESPNcricinfo, the Indian media conglomerate Sun TV completed a full takeover of the franchise, formerly known as Northern Superchargers, last year. The group bought a 49 per cent stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the remaining 51 per cent from Yorkshire for around 100 million Pounds. Stakes in three other Hundred teams were also sold to investors who own IPL franchises.

Usman Tariq, the second Pakistan player to be sold in The Hundred auction:

Sunrisers, whose sister franchises Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in SA20, have never previously signed an active Pakistan player. The Leeds-based side won a bidding war with Trent Rockets to secure Abrar shortly before the lunch break.

The auction had drawn scrutiny over whether the four franchises owned by IPL investors would bid for Pakistan players amid reports of a possible ‘shadow-ban’, despite the eight teams committing to selections based on “performance, availability and the needs of each team”.

Abrar was the second Pakistan player sold in the auction after Usman Tariq, who was picked up by Birmingham Phoenix for 140,000 Pounds (US$187,000). Trent Rockets and Phoenix are co-owned by their host counties, Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire, respectively, along with American investor groups.

Pakistan players have featured for several global T20 teams owned or part-owned by IPL franchises, but no active Pakistan international has played in the IPL since 2008 due to the long-standing geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan.

(With inputs from ANI)

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