Renowned auctioneer Mallika Sagar is set to make a return as the auctioneer for the highly anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. Mallika has been selected to lead the IPL 2025 mega-auction, which is scheduled to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on November 24 and 25.
Having previously conducted the IPL 2024 auction in Kochi back in December 2023, Mallika, at 49 years old, took over the role from Hugh Edmeades at the 2024 mini-auctions after successfully overseeing the Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction.
Mallika's expertise extends beyond the IPL, as she has also served as an auctioneer for the Pro Kabaddi League, making her the first woman to conduct auctions for both the PKL and the IPL. With a background in art collection and consultancy, Mallika has worked with Modern and Contemporary Indian art and partnered with the Art India consultant firm. Her experience as an auctioneer includes collaborations with Pundoles art gallery in Mumbai.
Mallika achieved widespread recognition in 2001 when she made history as the first woman of Indian descent to serve as an auctioneer at Christie's, the renowned British auction house.
The upcoming IPL 2025 mega-auction in Jeddah promises to be a thrilling event, with star players like Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Ishan Kishan up for grabs. Franchises are expected to engage in intense bidding wars over the two-day event, aiming to secure the best talents in world cricket.
Leading up to the auction, franchises have retained a total of 46 players, leaving 204 slots to be filled during the mega-auction. A staggering Rs 641.5 crores could be spent on acquiring top talent, with Punjab Kings holding the largest purse at Rs 110.5 crores after retaining just two players.
The IPL 2025 mega-auction is scheduled to commence at 12:30 PM local time in Jeddah and 3 PM IST, marking the beginning of an exciting chapter in the world of cricket.
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