PCB faces BIG call on Abrar Ahmed’s The Hundred stint as PKR 7 crore deal clashes with…

PCB find itself in a tricky situation as Abrar Ahmed’s participation in The Hundred remains uncertain after the spinner secured a PKR 7 crore deal with Sunrisers Leeds

PCB, Pakistan Cricket Team, Abrar Ahmed, The Hundred, Pakistan tour of West Indies, Pak vs WI, Daniel Vettori, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sunrisers Leeds, IPL 2026, Kavya Maran, No Objection Certificate, NOC, Abrar Ahmed in The Hundred, Men in Green, — Abrar Ahmed’s participation in The Hundred is unceratin

Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed was picked by an India Premier League-based franchise Sunrisers Leeds during the The Hundred auction, a move that has put the Pakistan Cricket Board in a difficult position as the spinner’s participation might clash with Pakistan’s scheduled bilateral tour commitments.

Kavya Maran’s Sunrisers Leeds acquired Abrar Ahmed for PKR 7 crore (approximately 2 crore INR) following a bidding contest with Trent Rockets. The signing is notable as it marks the first time since 2009 that an Indian-owned franchise acquired Pakistani player, and no active Pakistani cricketer had earlier represented a Sunrisers-backed team in either the IPL or SA20.

Abrar Ahmed’s The Hundred stint uncertain amid Pakistan’s West Indies tour

However, Abrar Ahmed’s participation in The Hundred is unceratin, as the Pakistan national cricket team is scheduled to tour the West Indies for a two-match Test series during the same period, which may prevent him from receiving a No Objection Certificate (NOC).

The Men in Green are scheduled to play a two-match Test series against the West Indies from July 15 to August 7, featuring two Tests and a four-day warm-up match. The West Indies tour clashes against The Hundred, which is schedule to run from July 21 to August 13.

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Before the auction, questions arose about whether IPL-owned franchises would consider Pakistani players, despite all eight teams having assured that their selections would be made solely based on “performance, availability, and team needs.”

The ECB and Sunrisers Leeds later released a join statement emphasizing that players in The Hundred are not picked on basis of Nationality

Abrar Ahmed might face uncertainty in getting a NOC

As per Times of India, the 27-year-old might face uncertainty in getting a No Objection Certificate from the Pakistan Cricket Board, “He might not play The Hundred, given the fact that Pakistan is playing a two match Test series against West Indies,” a source tracking the development told this website.

Although, Abrar Ahmed is not Pakistan’s primary spinner in Test team, but he still requires approval from PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi. The earnings Abrar stands to make from The Hundred would place him among the top eight highest-paid players in the Pakistan Super League.

“It is a lot of money. His agent has put his name in the auction, which means he is confident of getting the NOC. He is also among the few current Pakistani cricketers who have a good relationship with the PCB chief. The chances of him playing in The Hundred are 50-50,” said a PCB source.

Daniel Vettori, head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad, revealed the rationale behind the franchise’s decision to bid for the 27-year-old spinner, “Once we missed out on Adil Rashid, who was a priority early on, we obviously jumped into the overseas spinner category. There were four or five players we were looking at and Abrar was one of them. We are very pleased to get him.”

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