Kavya Maran purchased Pakistani player: Fans demand to ban SRH in IPL 2026

Kavya Maran: The controversy began following the auction for The Hundred 2026, held on March 12, 2026. Prior to the auction, there were widespread reports of an unofficial “shadow ban,” suggesting that the four franchises owned by Indian conglomerates (including Sunrisers Leeds) would not bid for Pakistani players due to geopolitical tensions.

However, the ECB and the franchises issued a statement emphasizing that selections must be based strictly on merit to comply with UK anti-discrimination laws. Sunrisers Leeds (owned by the Sun Group) eventually broke this unwritten rule by outbidding Trent Rockets to sign Pakistan mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed for £190,000 (approx. ₹2.34 crore).

Many fans feel the move ignores the “national mood,” especially following the Pahalgam attack in April 2025 (where 26 people were killed), which led to renewed calls for a total cricketing boycott of Pakistan.

Some social media users have pointed to old posts allegedly made by Abrar that were perceived as mocking the Indian military, further fueling the demand for a boycott.

The “Ban SRH” Trend: Fans on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) are demanding that Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) be banned from the IPL, arguing that an Indian-owned brand should not be funding Pakistani players in any league.

Interestingly, the official X account of Sunrisers Leeds was suspended shortly after the signing, though X has not provided a specific reason for the suspension.

Daniel Vettori’s Statement: Head coach Daniel Vettori, who was at the auction table with Kavya Maran, addressed the decision by framing it as a purely tactical one. His comments have further aggravated some fans who feel the management is “ignoring the room.

He explained that their primary target was England’s Adil Rashid, but once he was signed by Southern Brave, they had to pivot to an overseas mystery spinner. Vettori stated, “Abrar was a priority… he’s unique in the amount of variations and a lot of domestic players won’t have seen him before.

He confirmed that the management had no internal discussions about avoiding Pakistani players and that they were focused solely on the best available options to win.