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Abrar Ahmed's selection for The Hundred by Sunrisers Leeds has ignited a storm, drawing criticism from former IPL chairman Lalit Modi and sparking political debate. Despite backlash and Sunil Gavaskar's remarks, the franchise and sources close to the player emphasise cricketing merit and focus on his career, highlighting the ongoing geopolitical tensions impacting sports.
NEW DELHI: A storm surrounding Abrar Ahmed’s signing in The Hundred continued to grow after former IPL chairman Lalit Modi posted a pointed message that appeared aimed at Kavya Maran and her franchise, Sunrisers Leeds. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Sunrisers Leeds, owned by the same group behind Sunrisers Hyderabad, picked Abrar for £190,000 (approx. Rs 2. 34 crore) at the inaugural men’s Hundred auction in London.
The move triggered a massive backlash in India, given the long-standing absence of Pakistani players from IPL-linked ecosystems. Without naming anyone directly, Lalit Modi wrote on X: “Investing 2. 34 crore on a Pakistani player when the fans are already on edge?
I know a thing or two about managing optics and building empires. Call me. ” The controversy even led to Sunrisers Leeds’ social media account being temporarily suspended amid the outrage, underlining the scale of public reaction.