The BCCI on Friday said it has nothing to do with Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed being signed by Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred auction, stressing that the move relates to an overseas league.

BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said the board’s jurisdiction is limited to Indian cricket and the IPL. “It doesn’t concern us. It’s not the IPL. What happens in The Hundred or other overseas leagues, we have nothing to do with it,” Shukla told PTI.

Sunrisers Leeds, owned by the Chennai-based Sun Group, signed Abrar during Thursday’s player auction, making him the first Pakistan cricketer to be picked by an Indian-owned franchise in the tournament.

The franchise paid GBP 190,000 (around Rs 2.34 crore) for the mystery spinner after a bidding contest with Trent Rockets. The tournament will run from July 21 to August 16.

The signing sparked criticism online, and the team’s account on X was briefly suspended after the announcement. IPL franchises have not signed any Pakistani player since 2009 following strained diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan.

That background made Abrar’s signing by an Indian-owned team a talking point, though the franchise competes in England’s 100-ball competition.

The Sun Group, which also owns Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, completed a full takeover of the erstwhile Northern Superchargers last year.

It acquired a 49 per cent stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board and the remaining 51 per cent from county club Yorkshire for around GBP 100 million.

Sunrisers CEO Kavya Maran attended Thursday’s auction and raised the paddle during the bidding for Abrar. The group also owns Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 league in South Africa but does not have any Pakistan player in that squad.

Abrar was the second Pakistan cricketer sold in the auction. Mystery spinner Usman Tariq was picked by Birmingham Phoenix for GBP 140,000 (around Rs 1.72 crore). Phoenix have no link with any IPL franchise.