Pakistani Abrar Ahmed, right, celebrates (AP/PTI)
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-chairman Rajeev Shukla has clarified that the board has no authority to intervene in the controversy surrounding the Sunrisers franchise signing Pakistani pacer Abrar Ahmed for the upcoming season of The Hundred.The franchise, owned by Sun TV Network, faced severe criticism on social media platforms after the acquisition of Abrar during the player auction. Many users in India expressed their anger at the decision, citing the prevailing national mood. Franchise owner Kaavia Maran was also targeted online, while Sunrisers Leeds’ official X (formerly Twitter) account was suspended amid the backlash.
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Despite the mounting criticism, the franchise is yet to make an official statement. However, Shukla on Friday clarified that the matter does not fall under the jurisdiction of the BCCI as the tournament is being held outside India.
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“This is not at all related to the Indian Premier League. It is an overseas league. This is not in our field. We cannot do anything. They have to take a call,” Shukla told news agency ANI on Friday afternoon.
During Thursday’s auction, Abrar, currently ranked world No. 3 in T20 Internationals, was bought by the franchise for £190,000 (about US$255,000). At the auction table, coach Daniele Vettori and Maran were seen making the successful bid, beating off competition from Trent Rockets.
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After the signing, Vettori explained that the team targeted Abrar after missing out on English player Adil Rashid, who had already been recruited by another team. He also mentioned that the Pakistani spinner
Othman Tariq
It was part of the franchise plans earlier, but once Abrar was secured, the management decided not to pursue another spinner.Indian investment in The Hundred expanded significantly in October 2025, with four teams in the competition receiving support from Indian owners. Since then, speculation has been rife that Indian franchises might avoid signing Pakistani players. Sunrisers’ move to acquire Abrar has effectively dispelled those rumours.In fact, only two Pakistani cricketers were selected during this year’s men’s hundred auction: Abrar and Tariq.
However, the Sunrisers’ decision sparked strong reactions in India, with many fans urging the franchise to reconsider the signing.
The backlash is not the first controversy involving an IPL-related franchise
This is not the first time an IPL-linked franchise has drawn criticism for a foreign signing. Earlier this year, Kolkata Knight Riders faced backlash after including Bangladeshi side’s Mustafizur Rahman in their squad. Criticism escalated after reports of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
Eventually, the situation calmed down after the BCCI intervened and ordered KKR to release the left-arm spinner.The fallout from that episode also affected international cricket. Bangladesh subsequently refused to travel to India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, forcing tournament organizers to replace them with the Scottish national cricket team in the 20-team competition, which was eventually won by the Indian national cricket team.
