SRH ownership signs Abrar, backlash erupts
Sunrisers Leeds — owned by the SRH group — signed Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed and fans immediately called for an IPL boycott, a controversy the BCCI said is outside its jurisdiction and won't affect overseas contracts reported. The episode highlights how multi‑league ownership can trigger PR and regulatory headaches across markets — and quickly spill into franchise operations and fan relations.
Sunrisers Leeds paid £190,000 for Abrar Ahmed at The Hundred auction on March 13, 2026 [msn.com]. The 27‑year‑old leg‑spinner recorded 7/114 on his Test debut in December 2022, a performance flagged by scouts ahead of the draft [espncricinfo.com]. The franchise’s official X account was suspended hours after the signing was announced on March 12–13, 2026 and was briefly reinstated with a fresh follower base amid heavy comment activity [msn.com]. Hashtags like #BoycottSunrisers and #ShameOnSRH trended as social‑media users targeted owner Kavya Maran and Sun Group links to Sunrisers Hyderabad [msn.com]. Head coach Daniel Vettori described Abrar’s acquisition as a "purely cricketing decision" after the side missed out on Adil Rashid, saying the team were "very pleased to get him" [indianexpress.com]. Reports from the auction list show Sunrisers also added players such as Ryan Rickelton and Zak Crawley as part of a revised squad plan that prioritised an overseas leg‑spinner for tactical balance [crictracker.com]. Old social‑media posts allegedly mocking the Indian armed forces during "Operation Sindoor" in mid‑2025 resurfaced after the bid, which commentators say fuelled the intensity of the backlash [freepressjournal.in]. Multiple outlets reported Abrar became the first Pakistani international signed by an Indian‑owned Hundred franchise, a milestone flagged as amplifying reputational scrutiny for Sun Group‑owned cricket assets [hindustantimes.com].
