Sunrisers Leeds’ account on X was restored just hours after it was briefly suspended amid a wave of reactions that followed the franchise’s decision to sign Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed. The development had drawn sharp responses from a section of Indian fans on the platform. Sunrisers Leeds are owned by the same Indian group that runs Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, which added to the attention around the move.
Sun TV, the Indian media conglomerate behind the IPL side, completed its takeover of the Leeds franchise in The Hundred last year. The deal involved purchasing a 49 per cent stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board and the remaining 51 per cent from Yorkshire, giving the group full control of the team, previously known as Northern Superchargers.
Franchise CEO Kavya Maran was present at the Hundred auction alongside head coach Daniel Vettori, where Sunrisers Leeds beat Trent Rockets to secure Abrar Ahmed for 190,000 pounds in a bid to bolster their spin options.
Sunrisers Leeds coach Daniel Vettori said the decision to sign Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed came after he sought feedback from Australian players who had faced him earlier in the year. Their inputs impressed the former New Zealand captain and led the franchise to seriously consider bringing Abrar into the squad. Vettori also made it clear that there were no internal discussions about avoiding Pakistani players before the auction, adding that the selection was purely based on cricketing requirements.
Also Read – Explained: Why Sunrisers Leeds’ purchase of Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed has created controversy
Hours after Abrar’s signing was announced, Sunrisers Leeds’ official X account was briefly suspended. The platform did not provide a specific explanation for the action. When users tried to access the page, they were greeted with a message stating “Account suspended.” X typically takes such action when accounts are found to be in violation of its platform rules.
It was up and running again on Friday with a fresh follower base, but comments focused heavily on Abrar’s signing.
Usman Tariq joined Birmingham Phoenix
Usman Tariq was the only other Pakistani player to attract interest at the auction, with American-backed Birmingham Phoenix securing his services. His signing meant that Abrar Ahmed was not the lone representative from Pakistan in this year’s draft, though only a couple of franchises showed interest in players from the country.
Meanwhile, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub didn’t find any takers at the auction as they remained unsold.
