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Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit

ThePrint On Camera Videos In Pictures

Society & Culture Around Town Book Excerpts Vigyapanti The Dating Story

More Judiciary Education YourTurn Work With Us Campus Voice

Indians’ outrage at Sunrisers Leeds signing Abrar Ahmed is puzzling. Are we fans or bullies?

If Indian franchise owners begin excluding Pakistani players in foreign leagues, it could open the door for accusations that India is unfairly influencing the sport’s global ecosystem.

It’s time we gave cricket some space to breathe. Space to stay clear of politics, and space to simply be a sport.

But the recent backlash against Sunrisers Leeds, after they bought Pakistan’s mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed shows it isn’t happening anytime soon. Sunrisers Leeds is a team in The Hundred league, and owned by Chennai-based media conglomerate Sun Group, also the owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

As if the long-standing India-Pakistan rivalry wasn’t enough, where players don’t even shake hands after a match, nationalism and hyper-patriotism are now seeping even into league and franchise cricket.

Professional decisions by franchises, such as this one by Sunrisers Leeds, are quickly interpreted as........

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