3rd edition of IPL fails to attract big bucks

Lalit Modi’s high-profile auction of international players for the domestic Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament failed to attract the big bucks today. Eight teams ignored the star-studded Pakistan players. They were expected to be sold at fancy prices.

Even highest-paid Kieron Pollard from West Indies and New Zealand fast-bowler Shane Bond were picked up for $1 million (Rs 4.6 crore), much lower than what had been paid for Kevin Pieterson and Andrew Flintoff last year — $1.55 million (Rs 7.4 crore) each.

Of the total $6.5 million (Rs 30 crore) that eight IPL teams coughed up, the franchisees forked out $4.15 million (Rs 19 crore) to take 11 players on board, each at an average of $377,000 (Rs 1.73 crore).
 

PRIZED CATCH
Player	Base  price($)	Winning  price($)	Team
Kieron Pollard	200,000	over 750,000	Mumbai Indians
Shane Bond	100,000	over 750,000	Kolkata Knight Riders
Kemar Roach	100,000	720,000	Deccan Chargers
Wayne Parnell	200,000	610,000	Delhi Daredevils
Mohd Kaif	100,000	250,000	Kings XI Punjab

Had it not been for the two top players, the average price paid for nine others was $238,000 (Rs 1.1 crore).

While there is a cap on the price a team can pay for each new player — $750,000 (Rs 3.45 crore) — the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said that if a team gets into a tie over a player and has reached the price limit, it could bid higher.

However, the money paid over $750,000 would go into the BCCI kitty, and not to the player, said the board. Sources said IPL has made $500,000 (Rs 2.3 crore) — not much by its standards.

During IPL-II, a team was allowed to spend up to $2 million (Rs 9.2 crore). Eight teams together paid $7.63 million (Rs 36 crore) for 17 players — an average of $448,000 (Rs 2.06 crore) for each player.

The strike rate for this year has been lower — one out of six players has been bought compared to one out of three in the last two IPL seasons.

“Most of the teams this year  focused on the players they wanted to buy since there were only a few slots to be filled. We had three choices and are glad to have the player we wanted,” said Amrit Mathur of Delhi Daredevils.

The team has roped in Wayne Parnell for $610,000 (Rs 2.8 crore).

Said Lalit Modi, chairman & commissioner, IPL: “The biggest question for the franchisees has been the availability of players. They are not ready to spend $7-8 million for someone who would not be available for the tournaments.”

“During the first two seasons of IPL, teams went all out because the contracts were for more than one season. This time, contracts are for the third edition of the tournament only. Also, one has got the sense of price correction. Last year, Bangladesh’s Mashrafe Murtaza was bought at almost 300 per cent over his base price of $50,000 by Kolkata Knight Riders. Eventually he didn’t even play much in IPL2. Teams, therefore, are more rational this year,” said Indranil Blah, former VP-Sports, Globosport.

This auction’s hot picks are Kieron Pollard (all-rounder batsman), who has been grabbed by Mukesh Ambani’s Mumbai India. Shane Bond has been bagged by Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders. Both teams’ bid amount crossed the $750,000 threshold. According to sources, Pollard was won for $1.1 million and Bond, for $1 million.

The disappointing part of the auction was that there were no takers for the Pakistani players. There were 11 Pakistani players in a pool of 66.

“This is no surprise, given that there is a lot of uncertainty around the Pakistani players,” said an IPL executive.

Added Shilpa Shetty, co-owner of Rajasthan Royals: “We were not convinced about the availability of the Pakistani players, so didn’t want to take the risk.” IPL3 is scheduled to begin in March 2010 and 59 matches will be played over 44 days. The final will be held in Mumbai.