The Hundred auction saw several star players being sold to different franchises, but none managed to grab as many headlines as Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed. It is worth noting that Abrar was bought by Sunrisers Leeds in the men’s Hundred auction.
The moment caught headlines, as it had been reported that the Indian-owned franchises would not go after Pakistan players due to the ongoing political tensions between the two countries.
However, despite having Indian ownership, Sunrisers Leeds roped in Abrar for 190k pounds. It is interesting to note that the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) had issued a statement where it said that the team in The Hundred will be committed to getting players solely on merit, dismissing geopolitical differences between the arch-rivals.
As for other players from Pakistan, the only two Pakistan players in Wednesday’s women’s auction, Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal, went unsold, whereas Shaheen Afridi withdrew, while Haris Rauf went unsold as well.
Birmingham Phoenix bag Usman Tariq’s signing
Furthermore, Birmingham Phoenix, who are not under Indian ownership, secured the services of Pakistan’s Usman Tariq for 140k pounds. It is interesting to note that The Hundred 2026 is all set to begin on July 21 and will see the teams taking on each other in the hopes of getting their hands on the prestigious title.
The previous edition of the tournament was won by Oval Invincibles after the side defeated Trent Rockets in the summit clash of the tournament. The two sides locked horns at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London on August 31, 2025. Invincibles will go with a new name in MI London in The Hundred 2026, and will kick off the season by taking on Sunrisers Leeds. The two sides will face each other at The Oval on July 21.
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