WATCH: Abrar Ahmed smashes first-ball six on The Hundred 2026 debut

LONDON: Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed enjoyed a memorable start to his The Hundred 2026 campaign after launching a six off the very first ball he faced on debut for Sunrisers Leeds against MI London at the Kennington Oval on Tuesday.

Abrar walked to the crease after Tom Alsop became the ninth batter to fall on the 95th delivery of the innings with Leeds on 136.

The 27-year-old wasted no time making an impact with the bat. Anticipating Richard Gleeson's delivery, Abrar stepped across his stumps before whipping a ball from off stump high over backward square leg for a flat maximum, delighting the home crowd.

His entertaining cameo came late in the innings as Sunrisers were eventually bowled out for 143 after 99 deliveries, just one ball short of completing the full 100-ball innings. Opening batter Mitchell Marsh and Tom Alsop were the principal contributors with the bat.

Abrar's inclusion in the tournament had already attracted considerable attention after he was signed during The Hundred 2026 men's player draft on March 12.

The Pakistani spinner was snapped up by Sunrisers, an Indian Premier League-affiliated franchise, for a substantial £190,000 (approximately PKR 7.12 crore).

The Kavya Maran-owned franchise outbid Trent Rockets to secure Abrar's signature, making headlines as an Indian-owned team invested heavily in a 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, claiming a combined 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.