Our Bureau
Hyderabad
Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has slammed SunRisers Leeds for signing Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed. The team, owned by India’s Sun Group with IPL links to SunRisers Hyderabad, paid £190,000 for him at The Hundred 2026 auction in London.
Fans across India are angry. Many call the move unpatriotic. They say fees paid to Pakistani players go to their government as tax. Gavaskar agrees. He wrote that this money buys arms used against Indian soldiers.
Gavaskar warned of big trouble ahead. He said Indian fans may boycott games. Protests could happen at home and away matches. “Is winning more important than Indian lives?” he asked in his column.
Due to severe social media backlash, SunRisers Leeds, X account faced temporary suspension.
Pakistan players have not played IPL since 2008 Mumbai attacks. Indian teams usually avoid them abroad too. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said the board cannot interfere. It is a foreign league matter.
