‘Call me’: Lalit Modi reacts to Kavya Maran after Abrar Ahmed row

NEW DELHI: The signing of Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed by Sunrisers Leeds at The Hundred’s inaugural men’s auction has snowballed into a full-blown controversy, drawing a terse social-media intervention from former IPL chairman Lalit Modi and sharp exchanges involving Sunil Gavaskar and Azeem Rafiq.

Abrar, ranked third in the ICC T20I bowling chart, was secured for £190,000 (about Rs 2.34 crore) by the Leeds franchise, whose parent company also owns Sunrisers Hyderabad. The acquisition has reopened debate over the absence of Pakistani players in IPL-linked competitions since the 2008 season, a freeze rooted in the diplomatic fallout after the Mumbai attacks.

Lalit Modi, architect of the IPL’s early commercial success, posted on X without naming Kavya Maran or Sunrisers Leeds: “Investing 2.34 crore on a Pakistani player when the fans are already on edge? I know a thing or two about managing optics and building empires. Call me.” The message, laden with corporate and political undertones, intensified an already volatile reaction that saw Sunrisers Leeds’ social-media handles briefly suspended amid mass reporting.

Sunil Gavaskar escalated the political temperature by suggesting the fee amounted to “an indirect way of funding Pakistan’s military,” a comment Pakistan-born England cricketer Azeem Rafiq labelled “absolutely ridiculous & should be condemned… Vile stuff.”

Despite the uproar, sources close to the Pakistan Cricket Board say Abrar remains focused on preparing for the tournament. “The noise on Abrar’s signing is not unexpected, but he is not losing sleep over the uproar,” the source noted.

Sunrisers Leeds coach Daniel Vettori defended the selection on purely cricketing grounds, revealing the franchise had pursued Adil Rashid before turning to Abrar. “Very pleased to get him,” Vettori said, backing the spinner to deliver in the 100-ball format.

With India-Pakistan relations still strained after recent geopolitical flashpoints, Abrar’s impending appearance in English colours has become a lightning rod for passions that extend well beyond the boundary.