A record-breaking 1,574 cricketers have officially registered for the highly anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction, set to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 24 and 25 November. Among the registered players, a total of 1,165 are Indian, with a majority of overseas players hailing from South Africa (92 players).
In addition to the strong South African presence, there is also a notable representation from Australia (76 players) and England (52 players). Surprisingly, the IPL 2025 mega auction has garnered interest from players in associate nations such as the United States of America and the United Arab Emirates. Despite cricket not being a popular sport in Italy, the event has even attracted the attention of Italian cricketer Thomas Jack Draca.
Thomas Jack Draca has made history by becoming the first Italian cricketer to register for an IPL auction. Previously, there were speculations that former Australian cricketer Joe Burns, who recently moved to Italy, was the Italian player in question. However, a report in Sportstar has confirmed that it is indeed Thomas Jack Draca who will be representing Italy in the prestigious event. The inclusion of Thomas Jack Draca has sparked curiosity among cricket enthusiasts worldwide - who is this trailblazing Italian cricketer?
Born on October 23, 2000, Draca made his international debut in June 2024. The 24-year-old is a talented pacer who has also proven his worth as an all-rounder, commanding a base price of Rs. 30 Lakhs in the upcoming auction.
The Italian speedster showcased his skills in his international debut against Luxembourg, where he took 2/15 in four overs, contributing to his team's victory by 77 runs.
Draca has played four matches for his national side in the shortest format of the game, taking 8 wickets with a best of 3/9 against Isle of Man.
During his recent stint with the Brampton Wolves in the Global T20 Canada 2024, Draca emerged as one of the standout performers. He finished as the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, claiming a total of 11 wickets in six matches with an impressive average of 10.63 and an economy rate of 6.88.
His standout performance came against Surrey, where he took 3 wickets for 18 runs in four overs, helping his team defend a total of 198 and secure a 59-run victory.
Draca also played crucial roles in matches against Mississauga and Surrey, where he recorded figures of 3/10 and 3/30 respectively, contributing to his team's second-place finish on the points table. Unfortunately, Brampton was eliminated in the second qualifier of the competition after a five-wicket loss to Toronto Nationals.
His exceptional performances in international matches and the GT20 Canada tournament earned him a spot in the MI Emirates squad for the upcoming International League T20, organized by the Emirates Cricket Board.
Also read| IPL 2025 mega auction: Full list of players with Rs 2 crore base price
