Abrar Ahmed becomes the first Pakistani to be signed by an Indian-owned Hundred team

Sunrisers Leeds, an offshoot of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL), have roped in Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed on the final day of the Men’s Hundred 2026 auction. 

First Pakistani bought by Indian owners in the Hundred

Signed for £190,000 after Sunrisers outbid Trent Rockets, Abrar becomes the only centrally-contracted Pakistan player to be part of an Indian-owned team in any league across the world. 

Pakistan players were shadow-banned from playing in the IPL following the 2008 Mumbai attacks. In 2015, former Pakistan player Azhar Mahmood played for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, but on his British passport. 

Additionally, teams owned fully or partially by IPL franchise owners in leagues across the globe have also avoided recruiting Pakistan players.

Pakistan players’ snub from the Hundred

Earlier, there were reports that the same trend would continue in the Hundred as four out of eight teams were partially or fully bought by Indian owners following the 2025 edition. However, the speculation died down when the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and all franchises issued a joint statement confirming that players would be considered during the auction without any discrimination.

Sixteen Pakistan players, including two women players, were included in the longlist for the auction. However, out of those, only Usman Tariq, besides Abrar, was sold while Shaheen Afridi withdrew on the eve of the auction. 

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