LONDON: Sunrisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori has revealed that Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed’s wicket-taking ability in any phase of the game was the key reason behind his signing for the team.
The Pakistan spinner was purchased for £190,000 (around $255,000) by Sunrisers Leeds as they outbid Trent Rockets after a tense battle during The Hundred auction held in London on Thursday.
Speaking to Geo News after the auction in London, Vettori said his team needed someone who could not only take wickets in the powerplay but also during the middle overs.
“He gives us a number of opportunities to bowl throughout any phase of the game and he’s a wicket-taker — a proven wicket-taker,” Vettori said.
“The fact that he has so many mystery balls and that a lot of English batsmen would not have seen him before puts us in good stead.”
Owned by Sun TV Network, the India-based media conglomerate, Sunrisers Leeds — also the sister franchise of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in SA20 — purchased the Yorkshire-based Hundred franchise, formerly known as Northern Superchargers, last year.
The group initially acquired a 49% stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) before purchasing the remaining 51% from Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
The decision to secure Abrar Ahmed was made after their first-choice spinner, England’s Adil Rashid, was picked by Southern Brave earlier in the auction.
“Adil Rashid was a priority for us, and when we missed out on him, we stepped into the overseas market for spinners. There were a number of very good bowlers in that set, and we decided that Abrar was the best option,” Vettori said.
“I think we just had a number of options in that spin department. There were four or five players we were looking at and Abrar was one of them, so we’re very pleased to get him.”
The auction came under intense scrutiny after reports in sections of the English media suggested that teams in The Hundred owned by IPL franchises might not pick Pakistani cricketers.
The reports prompted the ECB and all eight franchises — including four owned by IPL teams — to issue a joint statement, reaffirming that the tournament would remain inclusive and open to players of all nationalities, with selections based solely on performance and availability.
Responding to a question about signing a Pakistani player, Vettori said there had never been any discussion within the management about avoiding players from Pakistan.
“We just planned for everyone who was in the auction. It wasn’t a discussion — it was simply about who the best option was,” he said.
“The priority was to get a spin bowler and we didn’t think that quality was available in the local market, so we had to look overseas.”
“He [Abrar] has proven himself in franchise cricket as well as international cricket, so you just have to make a choice. Like I said, the track record of Abrar with his wicket-taking ability really appealed to us,” Vettori added.
Abrar Ahmed, 27, has taken 109 wickets in 84 T20 matches so far. Known for his variations, subtle changes of pace and ability to utilise conditions, he has emerged as one of Pakistan’s frontline spin options.
Feedback from Australian players who faced him in the three-match T20I series in Pakistan shortly before the T20 World Cup also contributed to his selection.
“He recently played in that series against Australia and feedback from the Australian guys was that he’s incredibly tricky to face,” Vettori said.
“He’s got a lot of variations and the ability to strike in the powerplay and through the middle overs. That’s a key requirement at Headingley and having him there can make a big difference for us.”
Vettori also expressed hope that Abrar’s signing would attract strong support from the local British-Pakistani community.
Sunrisers Leeds will be based at Headingley, the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, in a region with a large Pakistani and Kashmiri community, particularly in Leeds and neighbouring Bradford, often dubbed “mini-Pakistan”.
“We’re looking forward to a great season. We know there’s a big Pakistani community in the area and we’re excited about that in the upcoming season,” Vettori said.
Sunrisers Leeds will take on MI London in the opening match of this year’s The Hundred on July 21 at The Oval.
