Sunrisers Leeds’ official X account was suspended shortly after the franchise signed Pakistan mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed in the men’s player auction of The Hundred on Thursday. The development came amid a wave of criticism on social media following the signing.
The Sunrisers secured Ahmed for GBP 190,000 (approximately Rs 2.34 crore) following a bidding contest with Trent Rockets during Thursday’s auction. With this signing, Ahmed became the first Pakistani player to be picked by an Indian-owned franchise in the Hundred.
At the auction table, Maran was seen alongside head coach Daniel Vettori during the bidding process. The signing drew particular attention because of the broader political sensitivities between India and Pakistan in cricket.
Account suspension raises questions
Within hours of the signing, Sunrisers Leeds’ official account on X, formerly known as Twitter, appeared to be suspended. Users attempting to open the page were met with a message stating “Account suspended.”
The platform did not provide any specific reason for the suspension. According to X’s policies, accounts may be suspended if they violate the platform’s rules.
The timing of the suspension drew attention online as criticism of the franchise intensified following the auction.
Franchise ownership and auction context
Sunrisers Leeds is owned by Sun TV Network, the Chennai-based media conglomerate. The company completed a full takeover of the Leeds-based Hundred franchise, formerly known as Northern Superchargers, last year. Sun TV acquired a 49 per cent stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board and the remaining 51 per cent from Yorkshire.
Before the auction, all eight franchises in The Hundred had agreed that selections would be made based on performance, availability and team requirements.
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Sunrisers’ previous record with Pakistan players
Sunrisers’ other franchises have not previously signed active Pakistan internationals. Both Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in SA20 have historically avoided selecting Pakistan players.
In the auction, Sunrisers Leeds beat Trent Rockets in a bidding contest to secure Abrar Ahmed. Vettori later said he had consulted Australian players who had faced Abrar earlier this year before the franchise decided to pursue him.
Abrar was the second Pakistan player sold in the men’s auction after spinner Usman Tariq, who was signed by Birmingham Phoenix for USD 187,000.
Pakistan players have featured in various franchise leagues around the world, including teams owned by IPL franchises. However, Pakistan cricketers have not played in the IPL since 2008 due to ongoing geopolitical tensions between the two countries.
