Not concerned, says Shukla on Sunrisers Leeds’ signing of Abrar
The BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla on Friday downplayed the acquisition of Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed by Sunrisers Leeds during The Hundred auction, saying the development in an “overseas league” is beyond the board’s ambit.
The Sunrisers Leeds, owned by Chennai-based media conglomerate Sun Group, on Thursday signed Pakistan mystery spinner Abrar during The Hundred player auction, making him the first Pakistan cricketer to be picked by an Indian-owned franchise in the tournament. “It doesn’t concern us. It’s not the IPL. What happens in The Hundred or other overseas leagues, we have nothing to do with it,” Shukla told PTI.
The franchise paid GBP 190,000 (approximately Rs 2.34 crore) for Abrar after a bidding contest with Trent Rockets. The tournament will be held from July 21 to August 16. Sunrisers Leeds faced backlash following Abrar’s signing, with the team’s X account suspended briefly.
IPL franchises have not signed any Pakistani player since 2009 due to strained diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Sun Group, which also owns Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, completed a full takeover of the erstwhile Northern Superchargers last year, acquiring a 49 per cent stake from the ECB and the remaining 51 per cent from county club Yorkshire for around GBP 100 million.
Sunrisers CEO Kavya Maran attended the Thursday’s auction and raised the paddle during the bidding.
The group also owns Sunrisers Eastern Cape in SA20 but does not have a Pakistan player in its squad.
Abrar was the second Pakistan cricketer sold in the auction after mystery spinner Usman Tariq, who was picked by Birmingham Phoenix for GBP 140,000 (approximately Rs 1.72 crore). However, Phoenix have no IPL connection.
