Hundred Auction: After Abrar Ahmed (Pakistan), who was chosen for the team by Sunrisers Leeds, headlines were made after concerns about players in Pakistan being skipped over by IPL Associated franchises increased due to the number of reputable associations that were successfully made during the 100 Auction as well as the significant promotional value that was generated (record breaking) due to his selection.
Abrar Ahmed Signed by Sunrisers Leeds
27 years old and Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed was signed by Sunrisers Leeds at the Men’s Hundred Auction for £190,000. Sunrisers Leeds is owned entirely by the same group that owns Sunrisers Hyderabad and play their home games at Headingley, Leeds. This occurred at a time when there were reports that IPL franchises would not sign any players from Pakistan.
Recently reports circulated that there were four teams from The Hundred with IPL connections that have no interest in signing any players from Pakistan, raising fears since since 2009, players from Pakistan were not allowed to play in the IPL. However, the signing of Abrar has eased these fears and shows that there are still players from Pakistan in this pool of talent available for selection for the tournament.
ECB’s Stance on Player Inclusion
The ECB intervened in response to speculation about all eight IPL franchises potentially disregarding Pakistani players; they sent out a letter reminding franchises about their anti-discrimination obligations.
The ECB along with the franchises subsequently issued a joint statement reconfirming that players cannot be discriminated against on the grounds of their nationality and Players must be selected based on a fair and merit-based process and to ensure that the integrity and inclusiveness of The Hundred’s Competition are upheld
James Coles Becomes the Highest-Paid Player
One of the largest deals at the Hundred Auction was for the young Sussex star James Coles, who was signed by the London Spirit for £390,000. As a result of this deal, Coles will be the highest paid player at the Hundred. Considering that Coles was only 21 years old when he entered the auction, it is amazing that he has had such a fast rise in his young career:
– He made his first class debut at age 16 and was the youngest player ever to play for Sussex.
– He played for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in South Africa’s T20 league over the winter.
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– He recently represented England Lions.
– Coles will earn nearly 13 times as much as the £31,000 he earned playing for Southern Brave during the 2025 Hundred season.
Other Major Signings in the Hundred Auction
A number of existing players have now signed lucrative contracts, including:
Adil Rashid signing with Southern Brave for £250k
Joe Root transferring to Welsh Fire for £240k
Jordan Cox being signed to Welsh Fire for £300k.
As shown, franchises in this competition are now spending more money than ever!
Pakistan Players Still Await Opportunities
Some of Pakistan’s top cricket players were not sold at the auction, even though Abrar Ahmed has been signed. These players include Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, and Saim Ayub, and they could possibly re-enter the auction in later rounds for another chance at being chosen.
Usman Tariq, a Pakistan bowler who did an outstanding job during the most recent T20 World Cup, received interest from Birmingham Phoenix and Trent Rockets and eventually signed with Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000.
Growth of the Hundred Tournament
The new Hundred Auction shows how much more money the league has made since last season when it sold shares of all eight franchises.
Current investment includes:
£7m upwards of per annum will be spent on wages for the women’s competition.
In excess of £16 million per annum will also be given to the men’s tournament.
As part of their strategy to broaden their global reach, owners are creating their own businesses in several other leagues with the objective of achieving Returns via:
Commercial partnerships.
Ticket sales.
Broadcast rights.
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