Indian businesswoman and cricket franchise director Kavya Maran has found herself at the center of an online storm following her team’s decision in The Hundred men’s player auction.
The controversy began when the Sunrisers franchise acquired the services of mystery Pakistani player Abrar Ahmed for $255,000, making him the first Pakistani cricketer to sign for an Indian-owned team in the tournament.
Soon after the selection, criticism erupted across social media platforms, with many Indian fans questioning the decision and accusing the franchise of ignoring “patriotic sentiments”.
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The backlash was largely directed at Cavia Maran, who was present at the auction table alongside coach Daniele Vettori when the bid was made. She is one of the most visible faces associated with the Sunrisers group and appears frequently during matches involving Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Super League, as reported by Hindustan Times earlier.
Controversial auction decision
Abrar Ahmed’s signing was notable for more than just his price tag. This was the first time a Pakistani player was selected by an Indian-owned team in The Hundred.
The decision came amid intense pre-auction speculation over whether Indian-owned franchises would shun Pakistani players due to a reported ‘shadow ban’.
When the Sunrisers went ahead with the show, criticism quickly surfaced online. Fans flooded the series’ social media with negative comments, and Maran herself became the target of abuse.
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Another unusual development happened soon after: Sunrisers Leeds’ X account was suspended in the hours after the Pakistan Spinner was bought.
Who is Kavya Maran?
Kavya Maran hails from a prominent Indian business family and has been closely associated with the Sunrisers cricket franchise for several years.
Born on August 6, 1992 in Chennai, she received her commerce degree from Stella Maris College and later obtained her MBA from Warwick Business School. She became CEO of the Sunrisers franchise in 2018 and has since played a key role in overseeing the team’s cricket operations.
Her family runs a major media and business network. Her father, Kalanithi Maran, heads the Sun Group and is also a co-owner of the franchise, while her mother, Kaveri Maran, serves as CEO of Solar TV Community Restricted.
Apart from owning Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Super League, the group also controls Sunrisers Eastern Cape, a team that competes in the SA20, the T20 league in South Africa.
As the controversy over the selection of the final auction intensified, criticism increased on social media. Hostile backlash has flooded platforms associated with the Sunrisers franchise, and Maran, the franchise’s most famous face, has become the main target of online backlash.
