The signing of Pakistan mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed by Sunrisers Leeds during the latest The Hundred player auction has sparked widespread discussion across the cricketing world. Owned by Chennai-based media conglomerate Sun Group, which also runs Sunrisers Hyderabad, the franchise faced criticism from some quarters after securing the services of the Pakistan international. Abrar Ahmed’s signing was historic in its own way. The leg-spinner became the first Pakistan cricketer to be picked by an Indian-owned franchise in The Hundred. His acquisition also turned into one of the most talked-about moments of the auction, with Sunrisers Leeds entering a competitive bidding war with Trent Rockets before eventually sealing the deal for £190,000 (around ₹2.34 crore). The franchise’s co-owner, Kavya Maran, was present at the auction table and personally participated in the bidding process that secured the Pakistani spinner. SRH coach Vettori explains the Abrar Ahmed call Following the auction, Sunrisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori shed light on the franchise’s decision to pursue Abrar despite the chatter surrounding Pakistan players joining teams with IPL connections. Vettori emphasised that the move was purely cricket-driven and based on the spinner’s unique skill set. “He's unique in the amount of variations he has, and many domestic players, in particular, won’t have seen him before,” Vettori told BBC Sport. Also Read: Who is James Coles? Most expensive buy in the historic Hundred auction 2026 The former New Zealand captain also acknowledged that discussions around Pakistan players were part of the broader narrative but clarified that the franchise had no instructions or restrictions about avoiding them during the auction. “We came into the auction with every player available to us. As soon as the option was there, we considered several quality international spinners, but Abrar was a priority,” Vettori added. Abrar was not the only Pakistani cricketer sold during the auction. Another mystery spinner, Usman Tariq, was picked up by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000 (around ₹1.72 crore). Unlike Sunrisers Leeds, however, Birmingham Phoenix has no connection to any Indian Premier League franchise, making the Abrar deal particularly notable. Meanwhile, several other Pakistani players failed to attract bids. Pacer Harris Rauf, off-spin all-rounder Saim Ayub and spinner Shadab Khan went unsold, while experienced left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi had earlier withdrawn from the auction. In the women’s Hundred auction as well, the only two Pakistan players available, Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal, remained unsold. The upcoming edition of The Hundred is scheduled to take place from July 21 to August 16.