BCCI Clarifies Stance On Abrar Ahmed Row, Makes Big Statement On 'The Hundred' Auction

Mumbai: A new controversy has erupted in India after the 'Sunrisers Leeds' team signed Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed for 'The Hundred' tournament. The franchise—owned by Kavya Maran—acquired Abrar for approximately ₹2.3 crore. Amidst the ongoing discussions surrounding this selection, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) clarified its stance on Friday (March 13). The Board explicitly stated that it would not interfere in this process. Meanwhile, the controversy took a new turn as the official 'X' (formerly Twitter) account of 'Sunrisers Leeds' was suspended shortly thereafter.

What did the BCCI say?

BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla clarified that the Board's jurisdiction is strictly limited to the Indian Premier League (IPL). The management of 'Sunrisers Leeds' is controlled by 'Sun TV Network Limited'—the same entity that owns the IPL franchise 'Sunrisers Hyderabad.' Abrar's selection in the auction held on Thursday (March 12) has put an end to speculations suggesting that IPL-owning franchises would refrain from bidding on Pakistani players.

Speaking to *ANI*, Rajeev Shukla stated, "Our scope of operations is limited solely to the IPL. We have absolutely no connection with the decisions that franchises make regarding leagues operating outside Indian territory. There is no reason for us to interfere in which players they choose to recruit for foreign leagues. The decision by these franchises to acquire teams outside India is entirely their own. If they choose to select foreign players for leagues outside India, that is not our concern." ‘Because there is no place for such players in the IPL.’

What is the status of other Pakistani players in the auction?

At the start of 'The Hundred' auction, it appeared that no IPL franchise would show interest in Pakistani players. 'Mystery spinner' Usman Tariq was picked up by the 'Birmingham Phoenix'; however, this franchise has no affiliation with any IPL team. On the other hand, players like Saim Ayub, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan failed to find any buyers.

Who sparked bidding war for Abrar?

Both 'Northern Superchargers' and 'Trent Rockets' placed bids to acquire Abrar Ahmed. Ultimately, the Superchargers prevailed, securing Abrar for their squad. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had clarified last month that player selection would be based solely on criteria such as performance, availability, and team requirements.

A similar controversy had arisen previously when the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) signed Bangladeshi bowler Mustafizur Rahman. At that time, given the tensions stemming from the backdrop of violence in Bangladesh, the BCCI intervened and instructed KKR to release him. Subsequently, Bangladesh refused to travel to India for the T20 World Cup, and Scotland was included in the tournament in their place.