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Pakistani leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed found a buyer at the The Hundred 2026 auction after he was picked by SunRisers Leeds. The franchise, formerly known as Northern Superchargers, secured the mystery spinner after an intense bidding battle.
Abrar’s signing has drawn attention not only because of the bidding war but also because SunRisers Leeds is connected to the same ownership group that runs Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
SunRisers Leeds win bidding battle for Abrar Ahmed
Abrar Ahmed was eventually sold for £190,000 (around ₹2.34 crore) after a competitive auction.
The bidding began when Trent Rockets placed the first bid of £100,000. Soon after, SunRisers Leeds entered the contest. Both teams continued raising their bids until the amount reached £190,000, at which point the Rockets decided to withdraw.
With that, Abrar became the second Pakistani player to be sold in The Hundred 2026 auction.
Usman Tariq also finds a team
Earlier in the auction, Usman Tariq was signed by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000.
Several other Pakistani players, however, did not find buyers during the auction.
Players who remained unsold include:
- Haris Rauf
- Shadab Khan
- Saim Ayub
Meanwhile, star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi withdrew from the auction shortly before the bidding process began.
Indian-owned SunRisers Leeds bought Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed for £190,000 in The Hundred 2026 Auction 👀#TheHundred #AbrarAhmed #SunRisersLeeds #KavyaMaran #Cricket pic.twitter.com/btulGEN41V
— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) March 12, 2026
A rare moment involving a franchise linked to the IPL
Abrar Ahmed’s signing is significant because it may be the first instance since 2009 where a franchise connected to an IPL team has signed a Pakistani cricketer.
Pakistani players have not participated in the IPL since the 2008 season due to political tensions between the two countries. As a result, most leagues linked to IPL franchises have also avoided signing Pakistani players.
For example, the SA20 - where every team is owned by IPL franchises - currently features no Pakistani cricketers.
Online backlash in India
SunRisers Leeds decision to sign Abrar Ahmed has also sparked debate on social media in India.
The criticism stems from comments Abrar made after Abhinandan Varthaman capture incident, when Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by Pakistan during the 2019 conflict.
Images of the pilot drinking tea while in custody later became widely circulated online. Abrar was among several individuals who shared posts referencing the incident, which drew criticism from Indian fans.
Because of this background, the franchise’s decision to sign him has generated mixed reactions.
Indian Cricketers are going to play cricket with Faheem Ashraf & Abrar Ahmed on Sunday who mocked our great army at time of Operation Sindoor.
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) September 11, 2025
Since when it is okay to play cricket with terrorists? And they will also shake their hands with them post game, the way Suryakumar did. pic.twitter.com/d9hOhyEeNa
Pakistani players in The Hundred 2026 auction
Here is the full list of Pakistani players in the auction and their results:
- Abrar Ahmed - £190,000 (SunRisers Leeds)
- Usman Tariq - £140,000 (Birmingham Phoenix)
- Haris Rauf - Unsold
- Shadab Khan - Unsold
- Saim Ayub - Unsold
- Shaheen Shah Afridi - Withdrew before auction
Also Read: Delhi Capitals (DC) IPL 2026: Full Schedule, Squad & Fixtures
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