A series of viral social media posts claiming that Bollywood actress Ananya Panday destroyed her Jio SIM card in protest against the SunRisers Leeds cricket franchise has been confirmed as a digital hoax. The rumours surfaced following the The Hundred 2026 auction in London on Thursday, 12 March, where the Indian-owned team signed Pakistani leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed. Kavya Maran Faces Backlash After Abrar Ahmed Signed by IPL Team-Owned SunRisers Leeds at The Hundred Auction 2026.

The viral "report" alleged that Panday posted an Instagram story with the caption "Country First," showing a broken SIM card. This was framed as a protest against the Sun Group (owners of SunRisers Hyderabad) for being the first IPL-linked conglomerate to break the unofficial "shadow ban" on Pakistani cricketers in global leagues.

The "Country First" Post: A Digital Fabrication

Investigation into the actress's official social media accounts confirms that no such post was ever made. In fact, the image is a "photoshopped meme" designed to "troll" cricket fans and incite a reaction against Kavya Maran, the CEO of SunRisers Leeds.

The meme specifically targets the connection between Jio (a major IPL sponsor and broadcaster) and the Sun Group.

Fake Screenshot of Ananya Panday's IG Story

Source: X

Fact Check by Grok

The Context: SunRisers Leeds and Abrar Ahmed

The hoax gained traction due to the genuine controversy surrounding the 2026 The Hundred auction. SunRisers Leeds, owned by the Sun TV Network, secured Abrar Ahmed for £190,000 (approx. ₹2.34 crore). This move made them the first Indian-owned franchise in the tournament's history to recruit a Pakistani international, sparking a #BoycottSRH trend in India. List of Pakistan Players Sold and Unsold at The Hundred Auction 2026.

The signing was a tactical decision led by head coach Daniel Vettori after the team missed out on England’s Adil Rashid. Despite the cricketing logic, the move led to the temporary suspension of the SunRisers Leeds account on X (formerly Twitter) following a surge in coordinated reports and online abuse.

BCCI Clarification

In response to the domestic backlash, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla clarified on Friday, 13 March, that the Indian board has no jurisdiction over the recruitment policies of overseas leagues. "This is their own decision because this is not our league," Shukla stated. "It has been done for a league outside India. It is entirely their own decision."

While the Pakistani spinner's signing remains a point of heated debate among cricket fans, the involvement of Bollywood celebrities in the "SIM-breaking" protest is entirely fictional.

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Fact check

Fact Check: Did Ananya Panday Break Jio Sim After Kavya Maran-Owned SunRisers Leeds Picked Pakistan Bowler Abrar Ahmed at The Hundred Auction?
Claim :

Ananya Panday Broke Her Jio Sim After Kavya Maran-Owned SunRisers Leeds Picked Pakistan Bowler Abrar Ahmed at The Hundred Auction

Conclusion :

No, The Image Being Circulated is Fake

Full of Trash
Clean

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 13, 2026 10:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).