Promising young all rounder Thisara Perera was the only Sri Lankan player to earn a contract at the Indian Premier League (IPL) player auction today.
Eight Sri Lankans who had been shortlisted for this year’s auction. Chinthaka Jayasinghe, Thilina Kandamby, Nuwan Kulasekara, Chamara Silva, Upul Tharanga, Kaushalya Weeraratne, Chanaka Welegedara, and Nuwan Zoysa were unsold.
Chennai Super Kings bought Perera for US $50,000 while none of the Pakistan players were sold at the auction.
In all, 56 players remained unsold out of 67 that went under the hammer.
West Indian Kieron Pollard became the first, and perhaps most expensive, purchase of the auction.
Pollard, 22, will join the Mumbai Indians team after attracting an undisclosed winning fee, far exceeding his price of $750,000, while the Kolkata Knight Riders won the retired New Zealand paceman Shane Bond for $750,000.
England’s Graeme Swann, Australian Brad Haddin and Shahid Afridi went unsold in the first round of the auction. The three had a base price of $250,000
Pollard and Bond’s purchases were decided by the newly introduced tiebreaker rule.
Pollard attracted $750,000 bids from four franchises _ Mumbai, the Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata. The four bidders were asked to make silent bids on paper within five minutes. IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi received the bids and made announced the winner.
Kolkata went into a tiebreak with the Deccan Chargers for Bond. The silent bid amount exceeding the base price is not disclosed. The excess money _ more than the franchisees limit of $750,000 spending, goes to IPL and not the player.
Trinidad & Tobago-born Pollard drew attention as an allrounder during last year’s Champions League Twenty20 tournament . Bond was associated with the rebel Indian Cricket League and returned to the IPL fold only recently.
West Indies pacer Kemar Roach surprised many by becoming the second costliest player, bought by Deccan Chargers for US $720,000.
However, not many were surprised when Delhi Daredevils didn’t hesitate paying US $610,000 — against a base price of US $200,000 – for South Africa all-rounder Wayne Parnell.
Royal Challengers Bangalore made a good addition to their squad, buying England’s Eoin Morgan for $220, 000, just $20, 000 more than his base price. That was the only bid they made.
Mohammed Kaif, the only Indian player in the auction, went unsold in the first round but was later bought by Kings XI Punjab for US $250,000. They also recalled South African Yusuf Abdullah.
Rajasthan Royals bought retired Australian Damien Martyn for US $100,000 apart from securing the services of Adam Voges for US $50,000.
Chennai Super Kings recalled South African Justin Kemp by paying US $100,000.
The third edition of the Twenty20 tournament will begin on March 12.
