Abrar Ahmed: First Pakistan player bought by Indian-owned Hundred team
What's the story
Mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed has been signed by Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000 (US$255,000) in the inaugural men's Hundred auction in London. This makes him the first Pakistan player to be signed by an Indian-owned team in the tournament. The franchise was previously known as Northern Superchargers before being fully acquired by Indian media giant Sun TV last year.
Franchise takeover
Sunrisers Leeds's acquisition of Abrar comes after full takeover
Sunrisers Leeds's acquisition of Abrar comes after a full takeover by Indian media conglomerate Sun TV. The franchise was previously owned in part by the ECB and Yorkshire, but Sun TV now owns 100% of the team. Stakes in three other Hundred teams were sold to investors who own IPL franchises. Despite concerns over a potential 'shadow-ban,' all eight franchises committed to selecting players based solely on "performance, availability, and the needs of each team" before the auction.
Team strategy
First Pakistan player for any 'Sunrisers' franchise
Sunrisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori revealed that the team was looking for an overseas spinner after missing out on Adil Rashid to Southern Brave. He said, "There were four or five guys that we were looking at and Abrar was one of them. Very pleased to get him." This comes as a major move considering neither Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL) nor Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SA20) have ever signed an active Pakistan player before.
Coach's perspective
Coach Vettori sought advice from Australian players who faced Abrar
Vettori, who is also Australia's assistant coach, sought advice from Australian players who faced Abrar earlier this year. He said, "It's a bit of mystery. I don't think there are a lot of English players who have seen him." The coach added that feedback from the Australians indicated that Abrar would be difficult to face due to his variations and ability to strike in powerplay and middle stages.
Player acquisition
Tariq sold to Birmingham Phoenix for PS140,000
Abrar was the second Pakistan player to be sold in the auction, after Usman Tariq who was bought for £140,000 (US$187,000) by Birmingham Phoenix. The most expensive player of the day was uncapped Sussex allrounder James Coles who went for an eye-watering £390,000 (US$522,000) salary from London Spirit after a five-way bidding war.