Sunrisers Leeds secured the services of Abrar Ahmed at The Hundred Auction 2026. The signing has drawn attentionamid ongoing political strain between India and Pakistan, especially given the franchise’s India-based ownership group, which also owns Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. Before the auction, there had been widespread reports suggesting that teams owned by Indian Premier League franchise groups were unlikely to bid for players from Pakistan; however, Sunrisers made the bold move by acquiring Abrar for 190,000 pounds (approximately ₹2.3 crore).
Ownership links between The Hundred and the Indian Premier League have grown stronger in recent years. Four franchises in the tournament – Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds – now have partial ownership ties with companies that operate IPL teams.
Kavya Maran was seated at the auction table with head coach Daniel Vettori when Sunrisers Leeds made their move for Ahmed during The Hundred Auction 2026. Leeds eventually secured the mystery spinner after surpassing a bid from Trent Rockets. The signing drew attention, given that players from Pakistan have not appeared in the IPL since 2008, largely due to the long-standing political tensions between India and Pakistan.
The Sunrisers group, which also runs a side in the SA20, had previously never recruited a Pakistani cricketer, making the decision a talking point online.
Earlier in the auction, Usman Tariq became the first player from Pakistan to be picked, joining Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000 after interest from multiple teams.
Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan unsold
Meanwhile, Shaheen Shah Afridi opted out of the men’s draft, while fellow pacer Haris Rauf went unsold after entering the auction with a reserve price of £100,000 during the event held in London on Thursday. All-rounder Shadab Khan and young batter Saim Ayub were also part of the draft pool, but neither player managed to attract a bid.
Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal were the only players from Pakistan in the women’s draft but neither found a buyer. The 2026 season of The Hundred, which includes both men’s and women’s tournaments, is scheduled to begin on July 21 and will run for four weeks.
