Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, who is also the head coach of IPL-backed franchise Sunrisers Leeds, has explained the key factor behind signing Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed during the recently concluded The Hundred 2026 draft, held at Piccadilly Lights.
Speaking to a British sports platform, Vettori supported Ahmed following his selection for the upcoming tournament and highlighted the bowler’s unique skill set and the challenges batters face when encountering his variations for the first time.
He emphasized that the right-arm mystery spinner stood out among several international spin options available during the draft, which prompted the franchise to prioritize securing the Pakistani star.
“Abrar Ahmed is unique in the amount of variations and a lot of, particularly domestic players, won’t have seen him before,” Vettori said.
“We came into the auction with every player available to us. As soon as this option was available there were a number of very good spinners from international teams that were an option, but Abrar was a priority,” he added.
The acquisition of the 27-year-old by Sunrisers Leeds, a franchise owned by Kavya Maran and affiliated with the Indian Premier League (IPL), marked a notable moment in the draft.
The 2026 player draft, held on Thursday, first saw Birmingham Phoenix secure leg-spinner Usman Tariq for £140,000, making him the first Pakistani player to be picked.
He was soon followed by the mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, who was signed by Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000 after a bidding war with Trent Rockets.
The franchise’s significant investment in a Pakistani international highlighted a shift away from traditional commercial rivalries, with the focus placed purely on cricketing talent.
However, the draft proved to be a mixed day for other Pakistani stars. Pace bowler Haris Rauf, all-rounder Shadab Khan, and batter Saim Ayub all went unsold in their respective rounds.
The trio remained without a team even after the final round of the draft, which allowed franchises to select players from the remaining pool to complete their squads.
The 2026 edition of The Hundred, scheduled to run from July 21 to August 16, will begin with a high-profile London derby, as MI London (formerly Oval Invincibles) face Sunrisers Leeds (formerly Northern Superchargers) at The Oval.
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