Sunrisers Leeds’ signing of Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed sparks online outrage

Sunrisers Leeds, a team owned by the Chennai-based media conglomerate Sun Group, on Thursday (March 12, 2026) signed mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed during the Hundred player auction. This action has not gone down with a section of social media users.

The Hundred is a professional cricket league organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which uses the 100-ball cricket format. Sunrisers Leeds is one of the eight teams and is owned by Sun Group, which also owns Sunrisers Hyderabad, a team in Indian Premier League. The League is scheduled to take place from July 21 to August 16.

The Sunrisers Leeds secured Ahmed for GBP 190,000 (approximately ₹2.34 crore) after a bidding war with the Trent Rockets, making the first Indian-owned franchise to sign a Pakistani player since 2009.

The franchise’s CEO Kavya Maran attended the auction and did the paddle-raising duty.

What led to the outrage?

Following the announcement of the signing, social media platforms erupted with hashtags such as #ShameOnSRH and #BoycottSunrisers gaining traction among Indian users. The outrage is rooted in alleged social media posts by Ahmed last year, during a period of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.

Many fans accused him of mocking the Indian Armed Forces, leading to calls for a boycott of the Sunrisers brand. Netizens argued that handing a lucrative contract to a player who had publicly disparaged Indian security forces is showing the franchise owners’ way of ignoring national sentiment.

Sunriser Leeds X account suspended

In the midst of the ongoing controversy, the official X account of Sunrisers Leeds has been suspended in India. No explanation has been given for this action and the account is currently inaccessible.

The official page merely indicates that the account has been suspended and notes that “X suspends accounts which violate the X Rules.”

Kaviya Maran facing backlash

Meanwhile, Ms. Maran is now facing backlash from fans and critics alike for buying the Pakistan cricketer at the Hundred auction. There has been no official statement from the Sunrisers franchise on this.

Ahmed is not part of Sunrisers Hyderabad, a team in the Indian Premier League. He will play for the Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred, a much-anticipated fast-paced 100-ball tournament in England.