Spinner Abrar Ahmed became the first player from Pakistan to be signed by an Indian-owned team in the competition on Thursday after Sunrisers Leeds, owned by Chennai-based media giant Sun Group, purchased him during the Hundred player auction.
After a bidding war with Trent Rockets, the Sunrisers paid GBP 190000 (about Rs 2.34 crore) for Ahmed’s services. The League is scheduled to take place between July 21 and August 16.
His signing also put an end to rumors that Indian Hundred owners would not make a bid for Pakistani players, because IPL teams haven’t done so since 2009 due to tense diplomatic ties between the two neighboring countries.
Last year, the former Northern Superchargers were fully acquired by the Sun Group, who also owns the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. For almost GBP 100 million, the Sun Group purchased a 49% share from the ECB and the remaining 51% from county club Yorkshire. Kavya Maran, the CEO of Sunrisers, participated in the auction and raised the paddle.
They don’t have a player from Pakistan on their list, but they do own Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20.
After Usman Tariq, another mystery spinner, was acquired by Birmingham Phoenix for GBP 140,000 (about Rs 1.72 crore), Abrar was the second Pakistani player sold at the auction. Phoenix, meanwhile, is not connected to the IPL.
Spinner Shadab Khan, off-spin all-rounder Saim Ayub, and Pakistan pacer Harris Rauf were previously unsold. Shaheen Shah Afridi, a seasoned left-arm seamer, had previously pulled out of the auction.
Sadia Iqbal and Fatima Sana, the only two Pakistani players in the women’s Hundred auction on Wednesday, were both unsold.
Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was sold to Phoenix for GBP 100,000 (about Rs 1.23 million).
It may be recalled that the BCCI ordered Rahman’s release from the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, which set off a series of events that resulted in Bangladesh’s elimination from the just finished T20 World Cup.
London Spirit made the largest bid of the day for Sussex all-rounder James Coles, asking GBP 390000 (about Rs 4.8 crore).
