Indian cricket great Sunil Gavaskar has strongly condemned the signing of Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed by an Indian-owned franchise in England’s The Hundred, arguing that such deals carry serious moral implications.
Pakistani players have been absent from the Indian Premier League since 2009 due to longstanding political tensions between India and Pakistan. Ahead of the Hundred’s inaugural auction in London, there had been speculation that Pakistan players might face an unofficial exclusion from franchises linked to IPL owners.
However, that scenario did not materialize. Sunrisers Leeds - a team associated with the ownership group behind Sunrisers Hyderabad - signed Abrar Ahmed for £190,000. The move quickly drew criticism on social media.
In a sharply worded column, Gavaskar argued that payments made to Pakistani players could indirectly support activities harmful to India. He suggested that taxes paid by such players to their government could ultimately be used for military purposes, thereby contributing to harm against Indian soldiers and civilians.
“Whether the payment is made by an Indian entity or its overseas arm, if the ownership is Indian, it raises serious concerns,” Gavaskar wrote. He also urged reconsideration of the decision, saying there was still time to “undo the wrong.”
Other Hundred teams with IPL-linked ownership include MI London, Manchester Super Giants, and Southern Brave. Meanwhile, another Pakistani player, Usman Tariq, was signed by Birmingham Phoenix, a team backed by American investors.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has maintained that all eight franchises in the competition are committed to selecting players based purely on merit.
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral cricket series for over a decade, meeting only in international tournaments. Political tensions between the two nations continue to cast a long shadow over sporting relations.
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