Pakistani leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed has been signed by the Indian-owned Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000 in The Hundred’s inaugural men's player auction The move is a significant development, coming after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was recently forced to publicly deny reports that the four Indian-owned franchises would operate a “shadow ban” on players from Pakistan
Sunrisers Leeds, owned by the Sun Group that also runs the Indian Premier League’s Hyderabad franchise, won a bidding war against the Trent Rockets to secure the 27-year-old bowler The signing has been viewed as a positive step and a relief for the tournament organisers, with commentators noting it helps allay concerns about geopolitical tensions influencing player selection In the lead-up to the auction, the ECB had written to all eight teams to remind them of their anti-discrimination responsibilities
The auction highlighted the new financial power of The Hundred following the sale of stakes in all eight teams to private investors Other major signings included uncapped 21-year-old all-rounder James Coles, who was bought by London Spirit for £390,000, and England leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who joined Southern Brave for £250,000
ISN MEDIA