New Delhi: Pakistan will have at least two representatives in The Hundred 2026 after mystery spinner Usman Tariq and Abrar Ahmed were signed by Birmingham Phoenix and SunRisers Leeds at the inaugural men’s auction on Thursday.
The deals ended fears of exclusion of Pakistan players in the league due to the involvement of the Indian Premier League franchise owners, who bought stakes in multiple franchises ahead of the 2026 edition.
Pakistani stars Abrar Ahmed & Usman Tariq secure The Hundred 2026 deals
Reports in the British media were rife that there is a big chance of teams ignoring Pakistani players due to the political tensions between the two countries.
The fears prompted the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to issue formal denials of a ‘shadow ban’ being implemented by some of the IPL-owned sides. All eight franchises released a statement affirming players would not be excluded on nationality.
The biggest talking point of the auction was Kavya Maran’s SunRisers Leeds’ move to sign Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed. Sun Group, owners of IPL side Sunrisers Hyderabad, acquired 100% takeover of the Leeds-based Hundred franchise in late 2025.
IPL-backed franchises defy ‘Shadow Ban’ rumours, embrace Pakistani talent
Abrar’s signing breaks the perception that IPL-backed franchises were likely to avoid Pakistani players at the auction. The Pakistan leg-spinner was signed for 190,000 pounds (Rs 2.34 crore) at the Hundred draft, making him one of the most expensive overseas spinners in the competition.
Mystery spinner Usman Tariq, who was in the headlines in the recently concluded T20 World Cup, managed to attract bidders during the inaugural auction. He was roped in by Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000 (approximately Rs 1.72 crore).
However, Tariq’s Pakistan teammates Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan went unsold. Premier fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi withdrew from the auction on Wednesday, when the country’s only female representatives – Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal – were also unsold in the women’s auction.
Tariq, who has been in the limelight due to his unorthodox action, was bought by Phoenix after a brief tussle with the Trent Rockets. Notably, both groups have American co-owners, with no affiliation with Indian backers.
Uncapped England star James Coles makes headlines
Meanwhile, young Englishman James Coles became the most expensive buy after bagging a whopping £390,000 (approx. Rs 4.8 crore) deal with London Spirit.
The 21-year-old cricketer surpassed the bid for wicketkeeper Jordan Cox, who was earlier bought by the Welsh Fire for £300,000 (approx. Rs 3.7 crore). Mumbai Indians’ MI London splashed the cash for Tom Curran, buying the English all-rounder for £260,000.
England’s Test superstar Joe Root bagged a £240,000 deal with Welsh Fire, while South Africa skipper Aiden Markram extended his association with the Super Giant family after being snapped up by Manchester Super Giants for £200,000 (approx. Rs 2.47 crore). He represents Lucknow Super Giants in IPL and Durban’s Super Giants in SA20.
His South African teammate David Miller was bought by Southern Brave for £110,000 (approx. Rs 1.36 crore).
Meanwhile, New Zealand superstar Daryl Mitchell went unsold.