Abrar Ahmed was signed by Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000 in the inaugural men’s auction of The Hundred 2026, becoming the first Pakistani international picked by an Indian-owned franchise in the competition.
The leg-spinner, who had a base price of £75,000, was secured after a bidding contest with Trent Rockets. Sunrisers Leeds is owned by the Sun TV group, which also runs Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
The signing is notable given the absence of Pakistani players in the IPL since 2009. The 2026 season of The Hundred will run from July 21 to August 16.