The Hundred 2026 Auction: Sunrisers Leeds Sign Abrar Ahmed Amid Reports Of Pakistan Shadow Ban

The Hundred successfully completed its first-ever player auction at Piccadilly Lights in London on March 12 (Thursday) ahead of the 2026 season. Moving away from the traditional draft system, the 2026 auction introduced IPL-style bidding wars, backed by significant new private investment.

In the men's auction, franchises battled for domestic icons and international stars to fill their 16-man rosters. Several cricketers like James Coles. Jordan Cox, Tom Curran drew heavy bid from the franchises. Among the overseas players, the ones in demand were Adil Rashid and Aiden Markram.

The Hundred 2026 is special in a way as it is the first season of the rebranded competition. Following the ECB’s decision to move away from centralized ownership, all eight franchises have officially welcomed private investors, resulting in a total competition valuation of over £975 million. This influx of global capital has not only rebranded several teams but also fundamentally changed how they operate, moving from a draft to a competitive player auction system.

This new investment has not only revamped team identities but has also led to a 45% increase in the men’s salary cap and a doubling of the women’s salary pot, triggering the move from a draft system to the high-stakes auction format seen today.

The decision by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to sell stakes in The Hundred franchises for the 2026 season was a strategic move driven by financial necessity and the rapidly changing global cricket landscape. By selling 49% to 100% stakes in the eight teams, the ECB has unlocked an estimated £520 million in immediate capital.

A major highlight of the 2026 restructuring is the heavy involvement of Indian Premier League (IPL) owners, who have acquired significant stakes in four of the eight franchises. This has led to the immediate rebranding of three iconic teams to align with global cricket brands.

The four teams who secured stakes in the Hundred franchises are MI London (Reliance Industries), Sunrisers Leeds (Sun Group), Manchester Super Giants (RPSG Group) and Southern Brave (GMR Group).

Rumoured Shadow Ban Of Pakistan Players In Indian-Owned Franchises

Leading up to the 2026 auction, the tournament was shadowed by reports of a "shadow ban" among the four Indian-owned franchises, MI London, Sunrisers Leeds, Manchester Super Giants, and Southern Brave, to avoid signing Pakistan players. This sparked a significant controversy, with the ECB and former stars like Michael Vaughan warning that any exclusion based on nationality would violate the league's anti-discrimination policies.

Sunrisers Leeds Sign Abrar Ahmed

Sunrisers Leeds broke the earlier perception during the men's Hundred 2026 auction by securing Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed for £190,000.

While several high-profile names like Shaheen Afridi withdrew or went unsold, and no Pakistan players were selected in the Women's auction, Abrar's signing by an IPL-linked team was a brave step taken by the franchise.

Usman Tariq Gets Sold In The Men's Hundred 2026 Auction

Not only Abrar, but Usman Tariq also got sold during the men's Hundred 2026 auction. The Pakistani mystery spinner made headlines by becoming the first Pakistan player selected during the auction. After a brief bidding war between Birmingham Phoenix and Trent Rockets, he was successfully signed by the Phoenix for £140,000. Both Phoenix and Rockets are franchises owned by US-based owners.