Indian businesswoman and cricket franchise executive Kavya Maran has recently come under intense online criticism following a decision taken by her franchise during the men’s player auction of The Hundred tournament in England.
The controversy started after the Sunrisers franchise signed Pakistan mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed for $255,000. With this move, he became the first Pakistani cricketer to be picked by an Indian-owned team in the competition.
Soon after the auction result became public, reactions began pouring in on social media. Several Indian fans criticised the decision and questioned the franchise, accusing it of overlooking what they described as “national sentiment”.
Much of this criticism was directed at Kavya Maran, who was present at the auction table along with head coach Daniel Vettori when the franchise made the successful bid. She is among the most recognisable figures connected to the Sunrisers Hyderabad group and is frequently seen during matches in the Indian Premier League, as previously reported by Hindustan Times.
A controversial auction decision
Abrar Ahmed’s signing drew attention not only because of the price but also because it was the first instance of a Pakistani player being selected by an Indian-owned team in The Hundred.
Before the auction, there had been speculation about whether Indian-owned franchises might avoid selecting Pakistani players due to what was described as a reported “shadow ban”.
However, when the Sunrisers group decided to go ahead and place the bid, criticism quickly followed online. Social media accounts associated with the franchise were flooded with negative reactions, and Maran became the central figure facing the backlash.
Shortly after the signing, another unusual development took place when the X account of Sunrisers Leeds was suspended within hours of the Pakistan spinner’s purchase.
Who is Kavya Maran?
Kavya Maran belongs to a well-known Indian business family and has been associated with the Sunrisers cricket franchise for several years.
She was born on August 6, 1992, in Chennai. She completed her Commerce degree from Stella Maris College and later earned an MBA from Warwick Business School.
In 2018, she became the CEO of the Sunrisers franchise and has since been actively involved in managing the cricket operations of the team.
Her family is known for running a major media and business network. Her father Kalanithi Maran is the chairman of the Sun Group and also a co-owner of the franchise. Her mother Kavery Maran serves as the CEO of Solar TV Community Restricted.
Along with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League, the Sun Group also owns Sunrisers Eastern Cape, which participates in SA20, South Africa’s T20 league.
As discussions around the auction decision continued, criticism across social media platforms intensified. Accounts connected to the Sunrisers franchise saw large numbers of negative responses, while Maran, being the most visible representative of the franchise, remained the primary focus of the online reaction.
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