The franchise, owned by the Sunrisers group, secured Abrar following a bidding battle with Trent Rockets, despite his base price being £75,000.
The decision has drawn criticism on social media, where franchise owner Kavya Maran faced heavy backlash. Some critics even labelled her a “traitor”, while a section of fans called for a boycott of Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Indian-owned franchises hold significant influence across global T20 leagues such as the Indian Premier League, SA20, International League T20, Caribbean Premier League and Major League Cricket, where Pakistani cricketers are typically not featured in teams owned by Indian groups. Similar concerns had earlier been raised about whether such restrictions would appear in The Hundred.
Sunrisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori defended the signing, saying: “We have picked the best player for our team. Abrar’s bowling variations are unique, and many domestic players have not faced him before.”
There are also concerns that the controversy could create pressure on the franchise to reconsider the signing. In the past, Kolkata Knight Riders reportedly had to withdraw interest in Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman due to political pressure.
Adding to the drama, the X (formerly Twitter) account of Sunrisers was briefly suspended just hours after Abrar’s signing, although the franchise has not provided any detailed explanation.
