Is SRH Out of IPL 2026? BCCI Issues Big Statement on Kavya Maran Row

The BCCI on SRH row has clarified that the board has no involvement in The Hundred auction decision where Sunrisers Leeds signed Abrar Ahmed. The Leeds side is owned by Sun TV Network, the same company that also runs Sunrisers Hyderabad in the richest cricket league in the world, IPL.

The Abrar Ahmed controversy drew attention because of the ongoing discussion about whether teams connected to Indian Premier League owners would pick players from Pakistan. Earlier reports had suggested that franchises bought by IPL team owners might avoid signing Pakistani cricketers. Mystery spinner Usman Tariq, known for his unusual run-up, was the only Pakistani player to get picked.

Several other Pakistan players who entered the auction, including Saim Ayub, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan, failed to attract any bids during the process. The Sunrisers Leeds secured Abrar Ahmed for roughly INR 2.34 crore during the auction. Soon after the deal was confirmed, Kavya Maran began facing heavy criticism on social media platforms, particularly on X. The controversy quickly gained attention, and the official X account of Sunrisers Leeds was eventually suspended.

Is SRH Out of IPL 2026? BCCI Provides Clear Verdict

The management of Sunrisers Hyderabad has not yet issued any official statement regarding the criticism coming from Indian fans. Because of this situation, Kavya Maran and the franchise could face a difficult reception during the upcoming IPL 2026 season.

The frustration among fans mainly comes from the fact that the team chose Abrar Ahmed, while none of the other Indian-owned franchises in the same competition decided to sign any cricketer from Pakistan.

Sunrisers Leeds Explanation for Abrar Ahmed Signing

The management of Sunrisers Leeds later clarified the cricketing thinking behind signing Abrar Ahmed. Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori explained that the team had initially targeted one of the best T20 bowlers in the world, Adil Rashid, during the auction. However, when Rashid was picked up early by Southern Brave, the franchise had to quickly rethink its strategy and turn to other overseas spin options.

Vettori said that once they missed out on Rashid, who had been one of their top priorities, the team began exploring other international spinners available in the auction pool. He added that there were around four or five bowlers on their shortlist at that stage, and Abrar was among the players they were considering before eventually deciding to sign him.