Sunil Gavaskar Slams Sunrisers Leeds for Signing Pakistani Spinner Abrar Ahmed Amid National Security Concerns
Sunil Gavaskar Slams Sunrisers Leeds for Signing Pakistani Spinner Abrar Ahmed Amid National Security Concerns
NEW DELHI: The decision by Sunrisers Leeds, an Indian-owned franchise in England's The Hundred competition, to sign Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed has ignited a firestorm of controversy in India. Legendary batter and former captain Sunil Gavaskar has vehemently opposed the move, stating that fees paid to Pakistani players could indirectly aid those harming Indians.
Abrar Ahmed was acquired for £190,000 during the inaugural men's auction in London, marking the first time an Indian-owned team has picked a Pakistani player for the tournament. The announcement led to widespread online backlash, with the franchise's social media accounts inundated with criticism and temporarily suspended.
In his column for Mid-day, Gavaskar expressed understanding for the public outrage, referencing the long-standing ban on Pakistani players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. "The furore created by the acquisition of a Pakistani player by the Indian owner of a franchise in The Hundred is hardly surprising," he wrote.
Gavaskar argued that payments to such players contribute to Pakistan's government coffers via income taxes, which could fund weapons and arms used against India. "The realisation that the fees that they pay to a Pakistani player, who then pays income tax to his government which buys arms and weapons, indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers and civilians is making Indian entities refrain from even considering having Pakistani artistes and sportspersons," he stated.
He emphasized that the nationality of the owner overrides the location of the transaction. "If the owner is Indian then he or she is contributing to the Indian casualties. It’s as simple as that," Gavaskar added, questioning whether franchise success outweighs national sentiment.
Gavaskar also predicted potential fan backlash, including protests and boycotts. "It won’t be a surprise that for every game that this team plays there will be massive demonstrations by Indian fans protesting at this hard-to-believe buying," he warned.
Sunrisers Leeds, owned by the Sun TV Network under Kavya Maran, defended the signing through head coach Daniel Vettori. He described it as a cricketing decision, noting Abrar's variations and powerplay effectiveness at Headingley, especially after missing England's Adil Rashid in the auction.
India's Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla clarified that the BCCI has no jurisdiction over foreign leagues, leaving the decision to the franchise.