The recent player auction for the English franchise league, The Hundred, has put Pakistani leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed in the spotlight after he was bought by Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000. This franchise is owned by the Sun Group, which also owns the Indian Premier League’s Sunrisers Hyderabad team. Following the signing, there has been a fierce backlash on social media in India, where cricket fans expressed their discontent over an Indian franchise signing a Pakistani player, particularly in light of Abrar's previous anti-India statements and social media posts.

The outrage is not solely due to the signing of a Pakistani player by an Indian franchise; it is further fueled by specific statements and social media posts made by Abrar that have been perceived as anti-India. The fans of the franchise known as the 'Orange Army' have also openly criticized this decision, posing questions about the appropriateness of such a signing given the historical tensions between India and Pakistan.

Abrar Ahmed has a history of making controversial comments that have drawn the ire of Indian cricket supporters, and his signing has sparked a debate about the implications of crossing national lines in sports. The controversy highlights the ongoing cultural and political tensions between India and Pakistan, where sporting affiliations can often become a point of contention beyond the cricket field itself, indicating that sports and politics remain interwoven in the backdrop of competitive spirit.