New Delhi, March 18: The controversy surrounding the acquisition of Pakistani bowler Abrar Ahmed by the Sunrisers Leeds in the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) ‘The Hundred’ tournament shows no signs of abating. Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar criticized the decision made by Sunrisers, prompting a strong response from Pakistani-origin cricketer Azeem Rafiq.
On social media, Rafiq labeled Gavaskar’s remarks as humorous and lowbrow, questioning whether Gavaskar adopts a similar stance on other international issues. He argued that achievements on the field do not justify such statements.
Azeem Rafiq, born in Karachi and now residing in England, has played at the Under-19 level for England. He has also represented Yorkshire and Derbyshire in domestic cricket.
In his column, Gavaskar condemned the decision to sign Abrar Ahmed, stating that the money paid to Pakistani players indirectly reaches the Pakistani government through taxes, which could be used for purchasing weapons. He further questioned whether winning a tournament is more important than the lives of Indians.
Gavaskar noted that the team’s head coach, Daniel Vettori, might not fully grasp the sensitivity of this issue, but the responsibility ultimately lies with the franchise owners.
In the 2026 auction for ‘The Hundred,’ Sunrisers Leeds signed Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed for approximately £190,000 (around ₹23.4 million). This decision has faced significant backlash in India.
Initially, it was rumored that Indian-owned teams would refrain from acquiring Pakistani players in the auction. Subsequently, the ECB warned franchises to adhere to anti-discrimination rules and not to discriminate against players based on nationality. Despite this, other Indian-owned teams did not sign Pakistani players, while Sunrisers Leeds went ahead with Ahmed’s signing, leading to backlash from fans.
On social media, fans even threatened to boycott Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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