MUMBAI: It turned out to be a bonanza evening for the Aussies as the IPL franchises went all out to sign the likes of Pat Cummins and Glenn Maxwell.
Fast bowler Cummins shattered the record for the most expensive foreign buy at an IPL auction as the Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for a massive Rs 15.50 crore (Rs 155 million).
Maxwell was snapped up by the Kings XI Punjab for Rs 10.75 crore (Rs 107.5 million).
South African all-rounder Chris Morris was another player to touch the Rs 10 crore (Rs 100 million) mark after he was bought by Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore.
West Indies pacer Sheldon Cottrell was rewarded with a Rs 8.5 crore (Rs 85 million) price tag by the Kings XI Punjab.
Reigning champions Mumbai Indians’s most expensive purchase was Australian pacer Nathan-Coulter Nile for Rs 8 crore (Rs 80 million).
Pat Cummins
The Australian fast bowler became the most expensive foreign purchase at the auction when he was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping Rs 15.50 crore.
Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore were engaged in intense bidding for Cummins before KKR made a late entry and eventually outbid Delhi and RCB to secure the Aussie tearaway.
Cummins broke the record for the most expensive foreign buy previously held by England all-rounder Ben Stokes who was bought by then IPL franchisee Rising Pune Supergiant for Rs 14.5 crore (Rs 145 million) in 2017.
Glenn Maxwell
The Aussie all-rounder returned to Kings XI Punjab who beat off stiff competition from Delhi Capitals.
Maxi is on his way back to cricket after taking a sudden break to deal with mental health issues earlier this year.
He had opted out of the IPL last year.
Chris Morris
Royal Challengers Bangalore were on the lookout for an experienced fast bowler.
Morris has been part of six of the last seven IPL seasons, picking up 69 wickets from 61 games, while scoring 517 runs at a strike rate of 157.
Sheldon Cottrell
The fast bowler with the trademark celebration involving a military-style salute has been a consistent performer for the West Indies in the last year.
Chris Gayle and Cottrell will make an entertaining Windies combo for Kings XI Punjab.
Nathan Coulter-Nile
The experienced Aussie fast bowler was Mumbai Indians’s most expensive pick at the auction.
Shimron Hetmyer
The big-hitting West Indian’s match-winning century in the first ODI against India in Chennai made him a hot pick at the auction.
Starting with a base price, Hetmyer triggered an intense bidding war before he was sold to the Delhi Capitals for Rs 7.75 crore (Rs 77.5 million). The left-hander played for RCB this past IPL season.
Piyush Chawla
Wrist spinners continue to be in demand in T20 cricket.
The former India leg-spinner attracted strong bids at the auction before he was bought by the Chennai Super Kings for Rs 6.75 crore (Rs 67.5 million).
Sam Curran
Chennai Super Kings splurged Rs 5.5 crore (Rs 55 million) on the English all-rounder. Curran had impressed with both bat and ball for the Kings XI Punjab last season.
Eoin Morgan
KKR went all out to retain England’s World Cup-winning captain, paying Rs 5.25 crore (Rs 52.5 million) for the left-hander after they had released him earlier in the year.
Though KKR says Dinesh Kartik will stay skipper for the next IPL season, Morgan seems a better bet to helm Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla’s team.
The Aussie all-rounder was snapped up by Delhi Capitals for Rs 4.8 crore (Rs 48 million).
Playing for RCB in the 2019 IPL, Stoinis scored 211 runs at an average of 52, having turned up for Kings XI Punjab in earlier seasons.
(Agencies)
Photo Courtesy: BCCI
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