The post announcing the signing of Abrar drew thousands of people to angrily question the Indian owner’s patriotism.
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Published March 14, 2026
Sunrisers Leeds faced intense backlash on social media this week after the Indian-owned Hundred franchise signed Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed.
Due to the long-standing political rivalry between India and Pakistan, the two countries will only face each other in major global cricket tournaments.
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No Pakistani cricketer has participated in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009 due to deep-rooted diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
Pakistani players who participated in the first Hundred Auction in London this week were subject to a ‘shadow ban’, with speculation that IPL teams would reject their bids.
Four of the franchises – MI London, Manchester Super Giants, Sunrisers Leeds and Southern Brave – are at least partly owned by companies that manage IPL teams.
However, Sunrisers, based in the northern English city of Leeds, signed Pakistani leg-spinner Abrar for a fee of 190,000 pounds (approximately $252,000).
The post announcing the deal with Abrar received thousands of angry replies questioning the Indian owner’s patriotism.
Some highlighted that after the conflict between the two countries in May 2025, Abrar had mocked India on social media and called on fans to boycott IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Usman Tariq, the only Pakistani player to be sold at the auction, was snapped up by US-backed Birmingham Phoenix.
Only two Pakistani players who participated in Wednesday’s women’s auction remained unsold: Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal.
The England and Wales Cricket Board issued a statement last month saying all eight city-based franchises taking part in the 100-ball competition would make selections based solely on performance.
However, Sunrisers have come under heavy criticism from some Indian cricket fans after signing Ahmed.
X’s @SunrisersLeeds account was suspended on Thursday. It was back up and running on Friday with a new follower base, but comments once again focused on Abler’s contract.
The same applies to the club’s Instagram feed, with the issue also spilling over to the Sunrisers Hyderabad account, which is also owned by media conglomerate Sun Group.
