IPL 2024 Auctions | Pat Cummins Breaks Bank; Become Highest Paid IPL Player
Pat Cummins last played IPL for KKR [X.com]
As expected, ICC Cricket World Cup-winning captain Australia's Pat Cummins broke the bank in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 mini-auctions in Dubai.
Cummins, who started with a base price of INR 2 crore, eventually got sold for INR 20.50 crore to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), thus becoming the highest-ever paid IPL player, surpassing Sam Curran's record of INR 18.50 crore.
The World Cup winner attracted bids from four franchises — Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and SRH.
First the bidding war began between CSK and MI, as RCB came rushing in once the price got beyound the double digit-mark.
SRH sneaked in at the last moment, and audiences witnessed all over the world an riveting bidding war between the Hyderabad-base franchise and RCB, that crossed the INR 20 crore barrier.
Cummins has already played in the IPL for franchises like Kolkata Knight Riders, and Delhi Daredevils. The World Test Championship winning captain so far appeared in 42 IPL matches scoring 379 runs, and claiming 45 wickets between 2014 and 2022.
Overall, in 128 T20Is, the 30-year-old has picked up 143 wickets and scored 693 runs, which three five-wicket hauls and as many fifties.
Earlier, in the auction, SRH purchased Australia's World Cup-winning hero Travis Head for INR 6.8 crore.
Meanwhile, fellow star batter Steve Smith remained unsold in the auction, whose base price was set at INR 2 crore.
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