Birmingham Phoenix

Sunrisers Leeds is an Indian-owned franchise participating in The Hundred, a professional cricket competition in England. They are currently newsworthy due to their recent signing of Pakistani leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed in the league's auction. This move has generated significant controversy and backlash, particularly on social media, with many questioning the patriotism of the Indian owners given the strained political relations between India and Pakistan. Some, like Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar, have even alleged the signing indirectly contributes to harm against Indian soldiers and civilians. The signing breaks an unofficial trend of Indian-owned teams avoiding Pakistani players, making it a notable event in the context of India-Pakistan relations and sports.