Indian Cricket Team Owner Faces Backlash Over Signing of Pakistani Player

Sunrisers Leeds Signs Pakistani Cricketer Abrar Ahmed in Hundred Franchise

The Indian-owned Sunrisers Leeds franchise has signed Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed as part of its team for the inaugural Hundred competition. The move has sparked a significant social media backlash, with thousands of users expressing concerns about the ownership structure and potential implications for the Indian Premier League (IPL).

As a result of longstanding diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan, cricketers from Pakistan have not participated in the IPL since 2009. This led to speculation that players involved in the Hundred auction might face restrictions on their participation. However, Sunrisers Leeds has signed Abrar Ahmed for £190,000.

A post announcing the signing was met with a large number of comments questioning the patriotism of the Indian owners. Some users pointed out that Abrar had made comments on social media critical of India and called for fans to boycott an IPL team. The England and Wales Cricket Board stated in a recent press release that all franchises would select players based solely on their performance.

The Sunrisers Leeds account was temporarily suspended on Thursday, but was reinstated with a new following by Friday. However, the issue continued to be discussed on the club’s social media channels, including its Instagram feed and accounts affiliated with the IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Source: Al Jazeera