Shocking: Why SRH Team Bought Pakistani Player?

In what could be considered and extremely unexpected turn of events, the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise has acquired a Pakistani player in the ongoing auction for England’s cricket tournament.

The franchise owned by Kavya Maran has reportedly picked a Pakistani cricketer in an overseas league auction, triggering strong reactions among cricket fans online. According to emerging reports, mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed has been bought by the franchise Sunrisers Leeds for around ₹2.2 crore.

The team is linked to the ownership group of Sunrisers Hyderabad, which is controlled by the Sun TV Network led by Kalanithi Maran.

The development is being widely discussed because Indian franchises have not signed Pakistani players in the Indian Premier League since the 2008 season due to political tensions between India and Pakistan.

However, the situation here is different from the IPL. Sunrisers Leeds is part of an overseas franchise league structure where teams owned by global investors can sign players from multiple countries without the same restrictions that apply in India’s domestic league. That allowed the franchise to bid for Abrar Ahmed during the player draft.

Abrar Ahmed has gained global attention for his mystery spin bowling and impressive performances for the Pakistan national cricket team. His inclusion marks a rare instance where a team connected to an Indian ownership group has signed a Pakistani player in an international league environment.

The move has sparked debate online, with some fans surprised while others see it as a normal part of franchise cricket outside India’s domestic competitions.