The Sunrisers cricket franchise, owned by media baron Kavya Maran of the Sun TV Network and daughter of former Union minister Dayanidhi Maran, has come under intense backlash on social media after acquiring Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed in the men’s player auction of The Hundred.
Abrar Ahmed was signed by the franchise for USD 255,000 (£190,000), becoming the first Pakistani player to be picked by an Indian-owned team in The Hundred. The acquisition was made by the Leeds-based team formerly known as Northern Superchargers, which is now controlled by the Sunrisers group following the Sun TV Network’s takeover.
During the auction, Kavya Maran was seen seated at the team table alongside head coach Daniel Vettori. The signing of Abrar Ahmed came after the franchise outbid Trent Rockets for the player.
What a shame @SunRisers .. what a shame !!
You bought a terror sympathizer Pakistani 🇵🇰 Abrar Ahmed without carrying about your motherland India. 🇮🇳
Thoo on you ..!
pic.twitter.com/shBlzgdNgo— Yo Yo Funny Singh (@moronhumor) March 12, 2026
The purchase has triggered widespread criticism online, with several users accusing the franchise of ignoring national sentiment by signing a Pakistani cricketer at a time when sporting ties between India and Pakistan remain frozen.
As reported in Hindustan Times, the Sun TV conglomerate had completed a full takeover of the Leeds franchise last year, acquiring a 49% stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the remaining 51% from Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
They announced this on their X handle too.
But just hours after the acquisition was announced, the official Sunrisers Leeds account on X was suspended. When users attempted to access the account, the platform displayed a message stating “Account suspended.” No official reason was provided for the suspension, though the platform generally enforces such action when accounts are found to have violated its rules.
No official reason was provided for the suspension, though the platform generally enforces such action when accounts are found to have violated its rules.
Ahead of the auction, the four Indian-owned teams participating in The Hundred had faced scrutiny over whether they would bid for Pakistani players, amid speculation about a potential informal restriction. However, all eight franchises had publicly committed to selecting players solely based on “performance, availability, and the needs of each team.”
The Sunrisers group operates multiple cricket franchises globally, including Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 league. Neither of those teams has previously signed an active Pakistani international player.
While several Pakistani cricketers have appeared in overseas T20 leagues owned by Indian franchise groups, Pakistani players have not featured in the Indian Premier League since 2008, following escalating geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan.
Following the announcement, netizens lashed out at Sunrisers franchise and Kavya Maran of disregarding public sentiment in India by signing a Pakistani player. It is noteworthy that Abrar Ahmed had previously mocked India and Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.
The tea gesture to mock Abhinandan was not just a one-off occurrence, it has happened quite a few times.
🚨 Meet Abrar Ahmed
– He used to mock Abhinandan with a tea gesture
– He used to mock Indian players with unwanted celebrations
– He used to mock Indian soldiers during the Operation SindoorDespite everything Kavya Maran and Sunrisers had brought him in the Hundred league.… pic.twitter.com/Z41auspDe3
— Tejash (@Tejashyyyyy) March 12, 2026
In the backdrop of the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent Operation Sindoor, in June 2025, in an interview with TV host Sara Baloch, Abrar Ahmed said: “I’d love to step into the ring and square off against Shikhar Dhawan”.
Pak cricketer Abrar says he wants to have ‘Shekhar’ Dhawan @SDhawan25 as his punching bag.
pic.twitter.com/isJk6Yaql4— Pakistan Untold (@pakistan_untold) October 5, 2025
This comment was made after Dhawan had publicly refused to play against Pakistan at the World Championship of Legends. The clip went viral in October 2025 after Asia Cup tensions, drawing widespread condemnation.
During the Asia Cup, where India beat Pakistan three consecutive times, including the final, Abrar Ahmed’s on-field celebratory antics became a flashpoint. After India won the title, Jitesh Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana openly mocked his celebration on the field, a rare public rebuttal by the Indian team.
Subscribe to our channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and YouTube to get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
