Abrar Ahmed controversy: It is not possible to remove him from ‘The Hundred’ like IPL, ECB rules will decide the way forward.

New Delhi. Pakistani mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed has been signed by Sunrisers Leeds for England’s ‘The Hundred 2026’ league. The opposition from the fans in India is strong and questions are being raised whether Abrar will also face the same fate as Mustafizur Rahman in IPL.

In fact, in January 2026, BCCI had ordered the removal of Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League. Kolkata Knight Riders released him on the instructions of BCCI and included a replacement player. Now the question is whether the same action can be taken against Abrar.

But the situation is different. The BCCI has complete control over the IPL, while ‘The Hundred’ comes under the jurisdiction of the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board). BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla clarified that this matter does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Indian board. The decision to remove a player from ‘The Hundred’ can only be taken under the procedure and instructions of the ECB.

Abrar Ahmed was bought by Sunrisers Leeds for £1,90,000 (approximately Rs 2.34 crore). Team CEO Kavya Maran, who is also the CEO of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, was present at the auction. As soon as the announcement was made, Indian fans started protesting on social media, due to which the team’s account had to be suspended.

What do ‘The Hundred’ rules say?

A player can only be included in the replacement roster if he has registered for the auction or wildcard draft.

A player cannot be dropped at the will of the team or any franchise.

In exceptional circumstances the team may send a written request to the Competition Technical Committee of the ECB.

If the ECB approves, the team can sign a replacement player.

The Hundred Match Rules

Every team gets a chance to bat 100 balls.

Bowlers can bowl 5 or 10 balls consecutively, with a maximum of 20 balls in a match.

Each team gets a powerplay of 25 balls, in the powerplay only 2 fielders outside the 30 yard circle.

Match duration approximately 2.5 hours, 4 points to the winning team.

In case of rain or tie, both teams get 2 points each.

In short, Abrar Ahmed cannot be removed from BCCI orders like IPL. His future in ‘The Hundred’ will depend entirely on the ECB’s rules and procedures. The opposition from Indian fans may be strong, but due to the limited role of the franchise and the board, Abrar will continue to play for now.