by: Atika Mehboob TN Sport Pakistan:
In a record-breaking IPL auction, Australian fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins became the most expensive players ever. Starc, returning after eight years, smashed the record at 247.5 million rupees, bought by Kolkata Knight Riders. Earlier, Sunrisers Hyderabad had snatched World Cup skipper Cummins for 205 million rupees, surpassing England’s Sam Curran’s previous record.
Both Australians, key to Australia’s ODI World Cup win, commanded fierce bidding. Cummins, who silenced the crowd by dismissing Virat Kohli in the final, had previously held the record at 2.17 million. Starc and Cummins entered with a base price of $240,000, highlighting their elite status.
New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell, another World Cup star, fetched 1.6 million to Chennai Super Kings. West Indies power hitter Rovman Powell and Australian Travis Head also attracted hefty bids. Surprisingly, up-and-coming talent Rachin Ravindra and former skipper Steve Smith went unsold in the first round.
This auction marks a new era of high-priced players in the IPL, attracting global stars with colossal salaries. With its massive viewership and billion-dollar impact on the economy, the IPL continues to reign supreme in the T20 world.
