Sunrisers Leeds X account suspended after signing Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed in The Hundred auction

Sunrisers Leeds’ official X account has been suspended following the team’s decision to buy Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed in The Hundred 2026 auction. Owned by Sun TV’s Kavya Maran, the move sparked massive outrage in India, with fans demanding a boycott of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming IPL.

Post Published By: Sona Saini

Updated : 13 March 2026, 11:43 AM IST

Controversy Erupts in India Over Abrar Ahmed Joining Sunrisers Leeds

New Delhi: The official X (former Twitter) account of Sunrisers Leeds, co-owned by Kavya Maran, the co-owner of the legendary IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad, has been suspended. This move comes after the team added Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed to its squad in The Hundred 2026 auction.

The auction was held at Piccadilly Lights in London, where Sunrisers Leeds spent ₹2.34 crore (GBP 190,000) for Abrar Ahmed. Abrar's selection sparked widespread protests on social media in India, with fans calling for a boycott of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.

Auction and Team Ownership Details

Abrar Ahmed is one of two Pakistanis acquired at the auction. The other is Usman Tariq, who joined Birmingham Phoenix.

Team co-owner Kavya Maran and head coach Daniel Vettori were present during the auction. It is noteworthy that Sun TV purchased a majority stake in Northern Superchargers and renamed the team Sunrisers Leeds.

Three other IPL team owners also acquired stakes in The Hundred, but none purchased Pakistani players.

Fans are deeply upset

Fans are deeply upset following the purchase of Abrar Ahmed. Kavya Maran is being targeted on social media, and fans are threatening to boycott Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.

Previously, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had to release Mustafizur Rahman after the BCCI asked the franchise to do so due to tensions between India and Bangladesh. This also caused considerable controversy on social media.

Pakistan supported Bangladesh at the time and threatened to boycott the big match against India.

What could the future hold?

Now that Sunrisers Leeds' X account has been suspended, it remains to be seen whether the team decides to release Abrar Ahmed. If this happens, Sunrisers Hyderabad could also face consequences in IPL 2026.

Currently, the controversy centers on social media and the team management's decisions, and cricket fans are constantly reacting to it.