Abrar Ahmed Makes History as First Pakistani Player Signed by Indian-Owned Hundred Team
In a landmark move for cricket, leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed has become the first Pakistani player to be signed by one of the four Indian-owned teams in The Hundred, after Sunrisers Leeds secured him for £190,000 in the inaugural men's player auction. This signing provides crucial relief for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which recently had to publicly deny allegations of a 'shadow ban' on selecting Pakistani players by these franchises.
Bidding War and Strategic Signing
The Sunrisers, owned by the SUN media group—which also operates franchises in Hyderabad and Eastern Cape—engaged in a fierce bidding war with Trent Rockets to acquire Ahmed. At 27 years old, Ahmed ranks third globally in men's international T20 bowling rankings and is among only a few Pakistani players ever signed by Indian-owned teams worldwide. Sunrisers head coach Dan Vettori emphasized that the decision was purely cricket-based, stating, 'There wasn't a discussion, it was just about who was the best option for us. We missed out on Adil Rashid, so then the priority was to get a spin bowler, and we didn't think that quality was in the local market so we had to look overseas.'
Controversy and Online Backlash
However, the announcement sparked immediate backlash on social media, with Sunrisers' post on X receiving a barrage of angry replies from Indian fans. Ahmed is a controversial figure in the Indian online cricket community due to a past social media post where he shared a selfie captioned, 'Having the last cup of FANTASTIC evening TEA before Ramadan begins.' This was widely interpreted as a reference to a meme about Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, an Indian pilot captured in 2019 who praised Pakistani tea while in captivity. The tension was further highlighted when Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy recently posted a photo with the T20 World Cup trophy, captioned 'a lot of distance was travelled to get a taste of this cup,' seen as a dig at Ahmed.
Other Pakistani Players and Auction Highlights
Ahmed was not the only Pakistani player picked up in the auction. His teammate Usman Tariq, known for his unorthodox bowling action, was bought for £140,000 by Birmingham Phoenix, part-owned by US investment firm Knighthead Capital. Notably, top Pakistani players like Shadab Khan, Saim Ayub, and Haris Rauf went unsold. Phoenix also signed Mustafizur Rahman, whose recent dismissal from the IPL on political grounds led to Bangladesh's boycott of the T20 World Cup.
James Coles Emerges as Most Expensive Player
In contrast to the political complexities, the story of Sussex all-rounder James Coles highlights the evolving landscape of English cricket. Coles, 21 and without international experience, became the most expensive player sold on the day, bought by London Spirit for £390,000. He has shown promise with two man-of-the-match awards in seven games for Sunrisers Eastern Cape and recent performances for England Lions against Pakistan's A team. Young English players like Coles are highly valued as teams aim to build around them for the next three years of The Hundred.
Despite his lack of international caps, Coles now ranks as the fourth best-paid player in the tournament, behind stars like Harry Brook, Phil Salt, and Jofra Archer. London Spirit's head coach Andy Flower noted that Coles was sold for only 'a little more' than expected, though the team could have acquired established players like Liam Dawson and Rashid Khan for the same price. This signing underscores the premium placed on emerging talent in the competition.
