Daniel Vettori said he wanted to buy Adil Rashid at the auction, but could not make it to the auction table, leaving them in need of a foreign spinner. Abrar thus became the first Pakistani player to be signed by an Indian-owned team, sparking controversy in India. Many fans took to social media to criticize Sunrisers Leeds and owner Kavya Maran. Following this, the official account of Sunrisers Leeds was also suspended.
