London: Pakistan off-spinner Abrar Ahmed enjoyed a memorable start to his The Hundred 2026 campaign after hitting a first-ball six for Sunrisers Leeds against MI London at the Kennington Oval on Tuesday.
Abrar walked to the crease after Tom Alsop became the ninth batsman on the 95th ball of the innings with Leeds 136.
The 27-year-old wasted no time in making an impact with the bat. Anticipating Richard Gleeson’s delivery, Abrar delighted the home crowd by whipping a ball across his stumps over backward square leg for a flat maximum.
His entertaining cameo came late in the innings as Sunrisers were bowled out for 143 off 99 balls, just one ball short of completing a full 100-ball innings. Openers Mitchell Marsh and Tom Alsop were instrumental in the batting.
Abrar’s inclusion in the tournament attracted considerable attention after he signed during The Hundred 2026 Men’s Player Draft on March 12.
Indian Premier League affiliate Sunrisers snapped up the Pakistan spinner for a whopping £190,000 (approx PKR 7.12 crore).
The Kavya Maran-owned franchise outbid Trent Rockets for Abrar’s signature, making headlines as the Indian-owned team invested heavily in the Pakistani cricketer.
Abrar brings significant international and franchise experience to the competition. He has represented Pakistan in 10 Tests, 19 One Day Internationals and 38 Twenty20 Internationals, taking 133 wickets across all three formats.
The mystery spinner has also featured in several leading T20 leagues, including the Pakistan Super League, Major League Cricket and the Bangladesh Premier League, further enhancing his reputation as a sought-after white-ball specialist.
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