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Pakistani cricketer Abrar Ahmed has repeatedly shown his hatred towards India
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Fans demand ban on Sunrisers Hyderabad team
New Delhi – In a move that’s ignited nationwide fury, Kavya Maran (owner of Sun TV and the Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL franchise) has splashed over ₹2.34 crore ( $255,000) on Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed for her England-based team, Sunrisers Leeds, in The Hundred 2026 auction held on 12 March.
This marks the first time an Indian-owned franchise in The Hundred has signed a Pakistani player, and it’s sparked massive controversy across India. Fans accuse Kavya Maran and Sunrisers of outright betraying national sentiments by funding a player repeatedly accused of mocking India’s armed forces and heroes.
Kavya Maran’s Team Buys Pakistani Cricketer Abrar Ahmed For ₹2.34 Crore, Social Media Erupts
Sunrisers Leeds, the sister franchise of Sunrisers Hyderabad, signed Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed during the first auction of The Hundred on Thursday (12 January).
This move broke a… pic.twitter.com/nc3ksY56do
— Saravanaprasad Balasubramanian (Modi ka Pariwar) (@BS_Prasad) March 13, 2026
Who is anti-Indian Abrar Ahmed?
Abrar Ahmed is the same cricketer whose has repeatedly mocked India and Indian armed forces through his on-field actions and social media posts.
In March 2025, he posted a photo of himself holding a cup of tea with captions like “Having the last cup of FANTASTIC evening TEA before Ramadan begins”. This is widely seen as a cruel, direct taunt at the viral 2019 moment when captured IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman calmly remarked “The tea is fantastic” while in Pakistani custody – a line that became a symbol of Indian dignity and composure under pressure.
Many fans feel that Kavya Maran and Sunrisers have betrayed the nation by prioritising cricket over patriotism and effectively rewarding anti-India behaviour with Indian money. They are demanding a ban on the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) IPL team following the controversy.
Sunrisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori has tried to provide clarification on the matter, saying that as they could not acquire Adil Rashid (an England player) in the ‘The Hundred’ auction, Abrar Ahmed was taken in his place instead.
🚨 SUNRISERS LEEDS FRANCHISE OFFICIAL ACCOUNT SUSPENDED 🚨
– Last night at 8:30 PM, Sunrisers picked Abrar Ahmed in their team, and by 2:00 AM their Twitter account was suspended 😭😭.
– This shows the power of Indian people. Now Kavya Maran will understand what people’s… pic.twitter.com/sSPN475K6E
— Bemba Tavuma 🐐 (@gaandfaadtits) March 13, 2026
X (Twitter) account suspended after criticism
Amid this entire controversy, the official X account of Sunrisers Leeds has also been suspended. When users try to open the account, they see the message “Account suspended”. However, the platform has not yet clarified the reason for the suspension. However, Sunrisers Leeds has since started a new account.
