The Hundred Auction: Abrar Ahmed Lands £190,000 Deal With Sunrisers Leeds Amid PCB NOC Uncertainty
In a historic move at The Hundred auction, Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed was secured by Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000. The acquisition by the franchise, operated by the ownership group behind the Indian Premier League franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad, marks the first time since 2009 that an Indian-owned cricket franchise has signed a Pakistani international player.
Despite the high-profile signing, Ahmed faces administrative hurdles regarding his participation. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) must issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) before the 27-year-old can compete in the English domestic competition. This clearance is currently in doubt due to a direct scheduling conflict with Pakistan’s bilateral commitments.
The Schedule Clash: West Indies Tour vs. The Hundred
The primary obstacle for Ahmed is the Pakistan national team upcoming tour of the West Indies. The bilateral series is a mandatory commitment for contracted players and overlaps heavily with the franchise tournament window.
| Event | Start Date | End Date | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan Tour of West Indies | July 15 | August 7 | 2 Tests, 1 Warm-up |
| The Hundred | July 21 | August 16 | 100-Ball Cricket |
While Ahmed is not currently the primary Test spinner for Pakistan—with Noman Ali and Sajid Khan often taking precedence—his availability still requires formal approval from PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Sources indicate that Ahmed’s representatives remain optimistic about obtaining the NOC, though official clearance remains pending.
Sunrisers Leeds Draft Strategy
Prior to the draft, all eight franchises in The Hundred committed to selecting players based solely on performance metrics and squad requirements, regardless of nationality. Sunrisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori confirmed this data-driven approach during the auction process.
“Once we missed out on Adil Rashid, who was a priority early on, we obviously jumped into the overseas spinner category,” Vettori stated. “There were four or five players we were looking at and Abrar was one of them. We are very pleased to get him.”
Vettori noted that Ahmed’s performance during the recent Australian tour influenced the decision. Australian players reported that his variations make him a challenging bowler, particularly during the powerplay and middle overs.
Pakistani Players in The Hundred Auction
The auction yielded mixed results for Pakistani cricketers seeking contracts in the 100-ball tournament.
- Abrar Ahmed: Bought by Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000 (approx. PKR 7 crore).
- Usman Tariq: Acquired by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000 (approx. PKR 5.21 crore).
- Unsold Players: Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Fatima Sana, and Sadia Iqbal.
- Withdrawals: Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi withdrew his name prior to the draft.
If Ahmed receives his NOC, his £190,000 contract will rank him among the highest-earning active Pakistani players in global franchise cricket, surpassing the top earning brackets of the Pakistan Super League.