Sunrisers sign Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed for The Hundred

Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed was bought by Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000 ($254,201) in the men's auction for The Hundred on Thursday, despite media reports that Indian-owned teams might avoid signing cricketers from Pakistan.

In February, the BBC reported that franchises such as Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds might not consider signing Pakistani players for the United Kingdom (UK)-based competition amid tensions between neighbouring countries India and Pakistan.

Following the report, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and all eight franchises reiterated that players would not be excluded from selection based on nationality.

Abrar has played 38 Twenty20s for Pakistan since making his debut in 2024, taking 52 wickets with an economy rate of 6.67. Sunrisers opened the bidding for the 27-year-old at 130,000 pounds before raising their bid to fend off interest from Trent Rockets.

Trent Rockets, who are not Indian-owned, also attempted to sign Abrar's compatriot Usman Tariq, who ultimately joined Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000, while Pakistan's Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf went unsold.

Pakistani players have been effectively barred from the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009.

James Coles, a 21-year-old all-rounder who plays for Sussex, fetched the highest price in the first half of the auction as he was bought by London Spirit for 390,000 pounds, while Welsh Fire picked up former England captain Joe Root and Jordan Cox.

The Hundred, the only cricket league in the world that uses a 100-ball format, will be held from July 21 to August 16. It was opened to private investment last year, with four franchises acquired by IPL owners.