Kavya Maran, co-owner of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), was involved in the bidding for Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed during the inaugural men's Hundred auction on March 12, 2026, for Sunrisers Leeds—an Indian-owned franchise (Sun TV group) in England's The Hundred league. This marked the first time an Indian-owned team signed a Pakistan player in the competition, sparking backlash due to India-Pakistan cricket tensions and Abrar's past mocking celebrations against India.
Reason for Choice
Sunrisers Leeds targeted Abrar after missing England's Adil Rashid (who went to Southern Brave for £250,000). Head coach Daniel Vettori stated they needed a quality overseas mystery spinner, with Abrar (world No. 3 T20I bowler) among top options like Rishad Hussain and Usman Tariq, due to limited local spin talent.
Auction Amount
Abrar was bought for £190,000 (about Rs 2.34 crore or US$255,000), up from a £75,000 base price after a bidding war with Trent Rockets.
Bidding Competitors
Trent Rockets competed aggressively but withdrew; earlier interest came from Manchester Giants and others. Sunrisers Leeds secured him decisively alongside Vettori and Maran at the table.
Key Facts
-
Historic Move: First Pakistan player for an Indian-owned Hundred team, defying pre-auction speculation of a 'shadow ban'.
-
Abrar Profile: 27-year-old leg-spinner/mystery bowler known for variations (leg-spin, googly, flipper); debuted with 5 wickets in Tests.
-
Backlash: SRH fans criticized Maran; team's X account suspended post-signing. BCCI has not commented directly.
-
Context: No Pakistan players in IPL since 2009; this is for The Hundred 2026, not IPL.
