IPL Player Auction: England Cricketer Sam Curran Becomes Most Expensive Buy Ever

CNN
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England cricketer Sam Curran has become the most expensive auction buy in Indian Premier League (IPL) history when he was sold to Punjab Kings for Rs 18.5 crore ($2.22 million).

Friday’s auction, held in the Indian city of Kochi, broke several records, with English and Australian cricketers the biggest beneficiaries.

Six franchises bid for 24-year-old Curran ahead of Punjab Kings’ record fee.

Responding to the news, Curran tweeted: Back to where it all started! I look forward to it.

He previously played for Punjab Kings in the 2017 IPL season under the team’s former name Kings XI Punjab.

Other big auction buys included Australian cricketer Cameron Green, who joined the Mumbai Indians for $17.5 million (about $2.1 million) and England men’s Test captain Ben Stokes, who was bought by Chennai Super Kings for $16.25 million (about $95 million ).

Launched in 2007, the IPL is one of the most valuable sporting properties in the world, attracting top cricketers with big contracts.

The tournament lasts just over two months a year, but its value to media companies has skyrocketed as the global audience has exploded.

In terms of prices per match, it surpassed the English Premier League and ranked only behind the US National Football League.

It sold its media rights between now and 2027 for $6.2 billion, split between television rights (acquired by Disney-owned Star India) and streaming rights (acquired by Viacom18, a joint venture between Paramount and Mukesh Ambanis Reliance Industries).

The 2023 season starts on March 20 and lasts until May.