The official X account of Sunrisers Leeds has been suspended shortly after the franchise announced the signing of Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed. The suspension happened only hours after the team confirmed the player’s inclusion during the latest auction of The Hundred.
The development surprised cricket fans and social media users. When users try to visit the team’s account on X, they see a message stating that the account has been suspended. The platform usually displays this message when an account violates its rules or policies.
However, the company has not officially explained the reason behind the suspension. The lack of clarification has triggered speculation among cricket followers and social media users.
The timing of the suspension has attracted attention because it occurred soon after the franchise announced the signing of a Pakistani player.
Abrar Ahmed Bought for £190,000 in The Hundred Auction
Sunrisers Leeds secured the services of Abrar Ahmed during the players’ auction held on March 12. The franchise purchased the spinner for £190,000, which is approximately 71.2 million Pakistani rupees.
The bidding process was competitive. The team managed to sign the player after beating Trent Rockets in the auction battle.
The franchise is owned by the Indian media conglomerate Sun Group. The group also owns the Indian Premier League franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The auction event was attended by Kavya Maran, who serves as the CEO of Sunrisers Hyderabad. She was present in London along with the team’s head coach Daniel Vettori.
The leadership of the Sunrisers Leeds squad will be handled by Harry Brook, who is currently the captain of England’s T20 team.
Social Media Backlash and Trending Hashtags
The signing quickly sparked reactions on Indian social media platforms. Some users criticized the decision and called for a boycott of Sunrisers Hyderabad during the upcoming Indian Premier League season.
Several hashtags started trending online soon after the announcement. Among them were #ShameOnSRH and #BoycottSunrisers.
The criticism intensified after some users resurfaced old social media posts allegedly linked to Abrar Ahmed. Critics claimed that the posts included satirical content related to the Indian Army.
These claims spread rapidly on social media platforms. This led to heated discussions among cricket fans and political commentators.
Despite the controversy, neither Sunrisers Leeds nor Abrar Ahmed has publicly commented on the matter.
Rare Signing of Pakistani Player by IPL-Linked Franchise
Abrar Ahmed’s selection has also drawn attention within cricket circles. The signing is notable because franchises connected with the Indian Premier League have rarely included Pakistani players in recent years.
Political tensions between India and Pakistan have significantly limited cricketing ties between the two countries. As a result, Pakistani cricketers have largely remained absent from leagues connected with IPL franchises.
In the 2026 auction of The Hundred, only two Pakistani players were purchased. Apart from Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq was also selected.
Usman Tariq was signed by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000.
Cricket analysts believe these selections could increase interest among Pakistani fans in The Hundred League. At the same time, the controversy around Abrar Ahmed’s signing continues to generate discussion on social media.
