The cricket world is locked in a fierce "spirit of the game" debate, but this time the conflict isn't on the pitch, it’s in the boardroom. Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has sparked a firestorm after criticizing the Indian owners of the Sunrisers Leeds for acquiring Pakistani mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed in The Hundred 2026 auction.
The signing, which saw the Leeds-based franchise (owned by Chennai’s Sun TV Network) shell out £190,000 for Abrar, has reopened long-standing wounds regarding the cross-border sports boycott that has defined the IPL for nearly two decades.
Writing in his column for Mid-Day, Gavaskar argued that Indian entities, whether operating at home or through overseas subsidiaries, must consider the geopolitical implications of their financial transactions. His stance is rooted in the belief that fees paid to Pakistani players indirectly bolster the Pakistani government's military budget.
The realisation that the fees that they pay to a Pakistani player, who then pays income tax to his government which buys arms and weapons... is making Indian entities refrain from even considering having Pakistani artistes and sportspersons. If the owner is Indian, then he or she is contributing to the Indian casualties. It’s as simple as that.
Sunil Gavaskar
The comments did not sit well with former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq. The Karachi-born spinner took to social media to label Gavaskar’s rhetoric as "absolutely ridiculous" and "vile," questioning how such political arguments remain acceptable in a sporting context.
Rafiq further challenged Gavaskar’s consistency, asking if the legend intended to boycott commentating on any fixtures involving the players or teams he was criticizing.
Sunrisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori has attempted to distance the team’s on-field strategy from the political noise. Vettori clarified that Abrar was a purely tactical acquisition made after the team missed out on England’s Adil Rashid.
Vettori’s view: The team management had "zero conversations" about a "no-buy" policy for Pakistani players.
Gavaskar’s counter: "Vettori... may not understand this simple dynamic... but surely the owner should have had an understanding of the situation and discouraged the purchase."
BCCI stance: Vice-president Rajeev Shukla has clarified that the Indian board has no jurisdiction over the private decisions made by Indian-owned franchises operating in foreign leagues.
Social media storm: The Sunrisers' decision has triggered backlash, with some fans calling for a boycott of the Leeds franchise's matches.
Demonstration warning: Gavaskar predicted that the team may face "massive demonstrations" by Indian fans, both at home and away fixtures.
IPL precedent: Since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Pakistani players have been excluded from the IPL, a policy that Gavaskar believes should now extend to all Indian-owned global ventures.
