KEY POINTS
- SunRisers Leeds won the bid for Abrar Ahmed for £190,000.
- Earlier in the auction, mystery spinner Usman Tariq became the first Pakistani player sold, joining Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000.
- The SunRisers franchise had to outbid Trent Rockets in a competitive battle to secure the services of the Pakistan international.
LEEDS: In a significant move that has overturned pre-tournament speculation, Pakistan’s mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed was secured by SunRisers Leeds at The Hundred Player Auction on Thursday.
The franchise, co-owned by Kavya Maran, secured the services of the talented cricketer for a winning bid of £190,000 (approximately INR 2.34 crore).
The acquisition directly challenges recent media reports suggesting that franchises with strong ties to the Indian Premier League (IPL) would abstain from bidding on Pakistani players.
SunRisers Leeds, which shares its ownership lineage with the IPL’s SunRisers Hyderabad, emerged victorious in a bidding war against Trent Rockets to finalise the deal.
Sunrisers Leeds, sister franchise of Sunrisers Hyderabad, signed Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed for £190,000 (₹2.34 crore).
Earlier in the The Hundred auction, Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq was picked by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000. pic.twitter.com/hwXlFeRuOD
— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) March 12, 2026
A direct challenge to pre-auction speculation
In the days leading up to the auction, a report by the BBC claimed that team owners who also hold stakes in IPL franchises would avoid selecting Pakistani players for their Hundred squads.
This speculation placed a spotlight on four of the eight teams in the competition: MI London, SunRisers Leeds, Southern Brave, and Manchester Super Giants, all backed by groups with significant investments in the IPL.
However, the aggressive bidding by Kavya Maran for Ahmed served as a definitive rebuttal to those claims. The franchise’s determination to secure the Pakistan international underscored a commitment to cricketing merit over external political considerations.
🚨 PAKISTANI PLAYERS AT THE HUNDRED AUCTION TODAY 🚨
Abrar Ahmed – Sunrisers Leeds (£190k).
Usman Tariq – Birmingham Phonix (£140k).
Shadab Khan – Unsold.
Saim Ayub – Unsold.
Haris Rauf – Unsold.– Abrar Ahmed is the most expensive Pakistani player in the Auction. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/D3I3aSgEyE
— Abdullah. (@Abdullahh_56) March 12, 2026
Tariq opens the door
Abrar Ahmed was not the only Pakistani player to find a team on Thursday. Earlier in the auction, mystery spinner Usman Tariq made history by becoming the first Pakistani player to be sold.
He was picked up by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000 (INR 1.72 crore).
The signings of both Tariq and Ahmed mark a notable moment for the tournament, ensuring the inclusion of Pakistani talent and setting aside the pre-auction narratives regarding team ownership dynamics.
