Sunrisers Leeds were hit with a social media backlash after signing Abrar Ahmed in the first Hundred auction.
It was the first chance teams had had to bid for players since a new ownership model was introduced for the UK franchise competition.
In February 2025, the eight sides in the 100-ball competition underwent a sales process, after which half of them gained substantial investment from India.
Four of the sides came under the umbrella of Indian Premier League franchise. That included Northern Superchargers, the team based in Yorkshire.
Ahead of this season, they have become known as Sunrisers Leeds, to reflect their affiliation with the Hyderabad-based franchise of the same name.
Another new feature ahead of the 2026 campaign was the implementation of a player auction for the first time. Previously, sides had recruited players by direct negotiation, or draft.
Ahead of auction day, it was speculated the Indian investment would limit the opportunities for Pakistani players to be recruited.
There is a precedent for that happening. For example, five of the six franchises in the UAE’s 20-over competition, the DP World International League T20, are Indian owned.
Last season, the only side to recruit Pakistani players was the lone non-Indian owned side, Desert Vipers, who are run by American businessman Avram Glazer. The Vipers won that competition, with four Pakistan national team players to the fore.
Before auction day, Shaheen Afridi, the Pakistan fast bowler, pulled out of the Hundred shortlist.
When the auction started, initially the doubts seemed to have substance. Haris Rauf, the fast bowler who was sanctioned by the ICC for goading Indian fans at the Asia Cup in Dubai last year, went unsold. Saim Ayub, the world’s No 3 ranked T20 all-rounder, later suffered the same fate.
Then Usman Tariq, the Pakistan mystery spinner who played for the Vipers in the ILT20, did find a buyer. After a brief bidding exchange, he was sold to Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000 (around $187,000).
Tellingly, though, the sides who competed for the signature of one of the most talked about bowlers in the game both had American, rather than Indian, investors.
Phoenix are 49 percent owned by a New York investment firm that includes Tom Brady among its shareholders.
Then, Abrar was put up for sale and the first bid came from Sunrisers. The mystery spinner, who is the third highest placed player in ICC’s T20 rankings for bowlers, was eventually signed for £190,000 (around $250,000).
The post announcing Abrar’s signing was met with thousands of replies – the majority questioning the Indian owners’ patriotism.
Some pointed out Abrar had mocked India on social media after the armed conflict between the two countries in May 2025, and called for fans to boycott Sunrisers Hyderabad in the forthcoming IPL season.
Later, the X account of the Sunrisers team got suspended.
Another Pakistan national with high hopes for the auction went unsold. Khuzaima Tanveer, who will qualify to play for the UAE from September onwards due to the ICC’s residency criteria, went unsold.
