Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed has been picked by Sunrisers Leeds in the auction for The Hundred, easing uncertainty over whether Indian-owned teams would sign Pakistani players.
Abrar, known for his mystery spin, was bought for £190,000, significantly higher than his base price of £75,000. The franchise secured him after a brief bidding battle with Trent Rockets shortly before the lunch break during Thursday’s auction.
Sunrisers Leeds were formerly known as Northern Superchargers before the franchise was fully acquired last year by the Indian media conglomerate Sun TV Network.
The group also owns Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in South Africa’s SA20.
Four of the eight franchises in The Hundred are linked to Indian investors connected with IPL teams. A report by BBC last month claimed that player agents had been informed those teams would not sign Pakistani cricketers. The suggestion triggered widespread debate in the cricketing world.
Abrar’s signing, however, appears to have eased that uncertainty.
Abrar became the second Pakistani player to secure a team in the auction. Earlier, spinner Usman Tariq was picked up by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000.
However, several high-profile Pakistani players remained unsold. Fast bowler Haris Rauf, who was included among the tournament’s ten marquee names, attracted no bids. All-rounders Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub also went unpicked.
In total, 14 Pakistani cricketers were shortlisted for the auction, though fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi withdrew his name shortly before the bidding began.
Two Bangladeshi players were included in the final auction list — Mustafizur Rahman and Rishad Hossain.
Rishad entered the auction in the £75,000 base price category, but no franchise showed interest, leaving the leg-spinner unsold for the time being. His name could still return later in the draft if teams seek replacements.
Abrar is currently in Dhaka with the Pakistan national cricket team for the ongoing ODI series against Bangladesh national cricket team.
