Vice President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India Rajeev Shukla has responded to the controversy surrounding the inclusion of Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed in the England-based franchise Sunrisers Leeds.
Commenting on the matter, Shukla said the issue relates to a foreign league and has nothing to do with the Indian Premier League.
“This is a matter of an overseas league, not our IPL,” he said, adding that the decision does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Indian cricket board.
He further stated that the team owners made the move in a foreign competition where they hold ownership rights. “It is their decision and we cannot interfere,” he added.
The development comes after Abrar Ahmed was picked during the 2026 player auction of The Hundred by franchise owner Kavya Maran, who also owns Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Sunrisers Leeds secured the services of the Pakistani mystery spinner for £190,000, a move that sparked criticism from some social media users in India over the inclusion of a Pakistani cricketer in a team owned by an Indian franchise owner.