Abrar Ahmed and Kavya Maran - (Source:X.com)
On Thursday, March 12, the Hundred concluded its first-ever auction. It was a spectacular event marred by a major controversy. For the unversed, Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed was roped in by IPL-backed Sunrisers Leeds for a whopping salary of £190,000 (US$255,000), which sparked massive backlash.
Before the auction, there were reports that IPL-backed teams would boycott Pakistani players, and this expectation was confirmed when Haris Rauf went unsold in the auction. However, fans were shocked when Kavya Maran raised the paddle to rope in Abrar to Sunrisers.
Notably, out of the 13 Pakistani players registered for the auction, Abrar was the only player to be picked by one of the four IPL-backed Hundred teams.
Why Did Fans Slam Kavya Maran?
The signing did not go well for Sunrisers Leeds because the fans were angry as the SRH owner did not respect Indian sentiments. Notably, the two countries were on the brink of war in 2025, and their relations had reached their lowest point.
Amid this, Abrar has often hogged the headlines for mocking India. In the past, he shared a post spreading anti-India narratives, which is why the Indian fans are hurt by Sunrisers Leeds. As a result of the backlash, Sunrisers Leeds’ Twitter account has been suspended.
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In the latest events, fans are boycotting the Sunrisers group and heavily trolling Kavya Maran. The franchise are yet to remark on the recent controversy, but there is a new curiosity whether Sunrisers Leeds can release Abrar Ahmed from the squad to avoid backlash?
Can Leeds Pull Off A KKR-like move?
For the unversed, KKR were in a similar spot a few months ago. After the IPL 2026 mini-auction, the three-time winners roped in Mustafizur Rahman. However, India and Bangladesh’s relations turned sour, and the killing of a Hindu man in Bangladesh forced fans to unite and demand Rahman’s ouster.
The protest grew, and the BCCI had to jump into the scene. Notably, the board issued a circular asking KKR to release Mustafizur Rahman from the squad. Therefore, the fans are curious whether SRL can do the same or not?
Can Sunrisers Leeds Release Abrar Ahmed?
Notably, the two scenarios are different. In this case, Sunrisers Leeds were already aware of the geo-political tensions. Therefore, they have no new reason to release Abrar Ahmed. Therefore, the governing council, which is the ECB, wouldn’t pay heed to the Sunrisers’ appeal even if they go to the ECB.
Also, if the ECB do allow Sunrisers Leeds to release Abrar Ahmed, then the franchise will have to pay the full £190,000 (US$255,000) amount, unlike KKR, which didn’t have to pay a single penny to Mustafizur Rahman.
At present, the ECB has also not responded to the controversy but the board is expected to quickly act on it.
Also Read: 5 IPL 2026 Players Who Surprisingly Went Unsold In The Hundred Auction
