New Delhi, March 12 -- Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed was bought by Sunrisers Leeds for 190,000 pounds ($254,201.00) in the men's auction for The Hundred on Thursday, despite media reports that Indian-owned teams might avoid signing cricketers from Pakistan.

In February, the BBC reported that Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds would not consider signing Pakistani players for the United Kingdom-based competition amid tensions between neighbours India and Pakistan.

Following the report, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and all eight franchises stressed that players must not be excluded from selection based on nationality.

Abrar has played 38 Twenty20s for Pakistan since making his debut in 2024, taki...