Why Gavaskar Criticised Abrar Ahmed’s Signing in The Hundred?

The signing of Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed by Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred has created a big debate. What looked like a normal cricket decision has now turned into a serious discussion involving politics, national sentiment, and ethics.

Sunrisers Leeds, a franchise based in Leeds and owned by the Sun Group, signed Abrar Ahmed for £190,000 in the recent auction. This team is connected to the IPL through Sunrisers Hyderabad. Because of this link, many people were surprised to see a Pakistani player being picked, especially considering the long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan.

Abrar at Headingley, soon 👏

[Play With Fire | SunRisers Leeds] pic.twitter.com/Yqm204j091

— SunRisers Leeds (@sunrisersleeds) March 12, 2026

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar strongly criticised this move. He said that paying money to a Pakistani player could indirectly harm India. His argument was that the player pays tax in Pakistan, and that money could be used by the government for military purposes. According to him, this could indirectly affect Indian soldiers and civilians.

Gavaskar also pointed out that Indian franchise owners have avoided Pakistani players since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He believes this decision by Sunrisers Leeds goes against that long-standing approach. He even said that whether the payment is made in India or through an overseas team, if the owner is Indian, the responsibility remains the same.

This issue becomes more sensitive because of recent political tensions between the two countries. There was a short military conflict in May 2025, and cricket relations have also been affected for many years. India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012–13, and Pakistani players have not been part of the IPL since 2009.

GAVASKAR’S BOLD TAKE ON THE HUNDRED SIGNING! 👀

A strong and controversial remark from Sunil Gavaskar on Indian-owned Sunrisers Leeds signing Abrar Ahmed in The Hundred. 💯 ⚠️

Your thoughts on this? 👀✍🏻#CricVerse | #SunilGavaskar | #TheHundred pic.twitter.com/vlLwPNtT4h

— CricVerse (@CricVerse23) March 17, 2026

The controversy grew quickly on social media. Many fans questioned the decision and shared strong opinions. Some people also believed that Pakistan players might face a “shadow ban” in teams linked to IPL franchises, but this signing showed that it is not completely true.

However, not everyone agrees with Gavaskar’s view. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has made it clear that players should not be selected or rejected based on nationality. They reminded all teams that discrimination is not allowed, and selection should be fair.

Sunrisers Leeds coach Daniel Vettori also said that there were no restrictions while picking players in the auction. This suggests that the decision to sign Abrar Ahmed was purely based on cricket and not politics.

In total, seven Pakistan players were part of the auction, but only two were selected. Apart from Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq was picked by another team. This shows that opportunities were limited, but not completely closed.

In the end, this situation shows how cricket and politics can sometimes mix in complicated ways. For some, it is just about picking the best player for the team. For others, it is about national interest and emotions.

This debate is likely to continue as The Hundred approaches, and it will be interesting to see how teams, players, and fans react in the coming days.

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