Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:56am on 13 Mar 2026,Friday Sports
The franchise Sunrisers Leeds has defended its decision to sign Pakistan mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed during the 2026 auction of The Hundred, saying it is “very pleased” to have him in the squad despite heavy online criticism. The signing sparked backlash from some Indian fans due to Ahmed’s past social media post linked to the 2019 India-Pakistan military standoff. Team officials clarified that the decision was based purely on cricketing merit. Head coach Daniel Vettori said the franchise needed a quality spinner after missing out on Adil Rashid and believed Ahmed was the best available option. The deal reportedly cost around £190,000. (PC: AP)
