Sunil Gavaskar, Abrar Ahmed (Source: AFP)
A fresh controversy has gripped the cricket world after Pakistan-born England cricketer Azeem Rafiq strongly criticised Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar for his remarks on Indian-owned franchises signing Pakistan players in ‘The Hundred’.
The issue began during the 2026 auction of The Hundred, where Sunrisers Leeds, an Indian-owned franchise, signed Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed for £190,000.
The move immediately sparked outrage among Indian fans, who questioned why an Indian-owned team would sign a Pakistani player given the long-standing political tensions between the two countries.
It is important to note that Pakistan players have not participated in the IPL since 2009, following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. This background added further sensitivity to the situation, making the signing a widely debated topic.
Sunil Gavaskar takes brutal dig at Sunrisers Leeds
Sunil Gavaskar weighed in on the controversy with strong comments in his column. He said the backlash was hardly surprising and argued that Indian franchise owners should avoid signing Pakistan players.
He claimed that money paid to such players could indirectly benefit Pakistan’s government through taxes, which he suggested could be used for military purposes.
“The furore created by the acquisition of a Pakistani player by the Indian owner of a franchise in The Hundred is hardly surprising. Ever since the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, Indian franchise owners have simply ignored Pakistani players for the IPL.
"Although belated, the realisation that the fees that they pay to a Pakistani player, who then pays income tax to his government which buys arms and weapons, indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers and civilians is making Indian entities refrain from even considering having Pakistani artistes and sportspersons," Sunil Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-day.
Sunil Gavaskar went further, stating that if an Indian-owned entity pays a Pakistani player, it could be seen as indirectly contributing to harm against India.
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“Whether it is an Indian entity or an overseas subsidiary of the entity that is making the payment, if the owner is Indian, then he or she is contributing to the Indian casualties. It’s as simple as that."
"Daniel Vettori, the coach of the team in The Hundred who hails from New Zealand, may not understand this simple dynamic, and so may have wanted some Pakistani players in his team, but surely the owner should have had an understanding of the situation and discouraged the purchase. Is winning a tournament in a format that no other country plays in much more important than Indian lives?” Gavaskar stated.
Azeem Rafiq slams Sunil Gavaskar for strong comments
These remarks did not go down well with many, including Azeem Rafiq. Reacting sharply on social media, Rafiq called Gavaskar’s comments ‘absolutely ridiculous’ and ‘vile.’ He questioned how such statements could be considered acceptable, regardless of Sunil Gavaskar’s stature in the game.
Daniel Vettor backs Abrar Ahmed's signning
Meanwhile, Sunrisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori defended the team’s decision. He explained that the signing of Abrar Ahmed was purely based on cricketing needs. According to him, the team turned to Abrar after missing out on England spinner Adil Rashid.
"Once we missed out on Adil Rashid [to Southern Brave], who was a priority early on, then we obviously jumped into the overseas spinner. There were four or five guys that we were looking at, and Abrar was one of them. Very pleased to get him,” Daniel Vettori said after the conclusion of the auction on Thursday.
Adding to the discussion, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla clarified that the BCCI does not control decisions made by franchises in overseas leagues. This means teams like Sunrisers Leeds are free to make their own player signings.
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