Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 1 : Another exciting Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) player Auction for season 12 concluded on Sunday after a weekend of intense bidding action as the 12 franchisees built teams worthy of providing a healthy competition for the upcoming season. 10 crorepatis were the top highlight of day 1, as two-time champion Mohammadreza Shadloui joined the Gujarat Giants for a whopping INR 2.23 Crores, as per a release from PKL12 Auction.
With him in the 2 Crore group was Devank Dalal, the Best Raider in PKL 11. He was signed by Bengal Warriorz for INR 2.205 Crores, making him the fifth-most expensive player in the PKL Player Auction after Shadloui's bid on Saturday.
The new Final Bid Match (FBM) rule was also seen in action across the two days, allowing teams to buy back their released players by matching the final auction bid price, for either one or two seasons. While five players were retained for two seasons, nine players were retained for one season.
Category C was a golden opportunity for the all-rounders, with the likes of Nitin Rawal, Gurdeep and Dheeraj earning high bids. Nitin joined Jaipur Pink Panthers for a fee of INR 50 Lakhs, while Gurdeep was signed by Puneri Paltan for INR 47.10 Lakhs and Dheeraj will don the Bengaluru Bulls jersey after earning an impressive bid of INR 40.20 Lakhs.
However, it was raider Akash Shinde who took the top bid in this category, moving to Bengaluru Bulls for INR 53.10 Lakhs.
In what was one of the most surprising moves of the Player Auction, an exciting bidding war saw U Mumba secure the services of Aanil Mohan for an impressive INR 78 Lakhs - the highest-ever bid in Category D in PKL history.
The all-rounder from Himachal Pradesh won the highest bid across both categories on Day 2, with Uday Parte getting the second-highest bid in Category D. He was signed by Jaipur Pink Panthers INR 50.10 Lakhs.
Speaking about the Player Auction, Anupam Goswami, Business Head, Mashal Sports & League Commissioner, Pro Kabaddi League, "It is very positive that the momentum of the PKL 12 Player Auction Day 1 has been maintained on Day 2. The teams have displayed strong interest in Categories C and D, especially through the Rs78 lakh buy for PKL debutant Aanil Mohan, the highest ever for a Category D player in our League's history. Such fresh players often form the backbone of a team, and investing in their growth is key to building competitive squads for the long term. Of course, the emergence of 10 'Crorepati' players this season reflects a balanced market, where both established names and new talent are being valued appropriately. It sets the tone for another competitive season ahead," as quoted from a release by PKL12 Auction.
Aanil Mohan, who was signed by U Mumba, shared his excitement at the end of the Player Auction, "It feels very exciting to finally be a part of the PKL and to see my hard work paying off. I am also thankful to U Mumba for their efforts in signing me for the upcoming season and hope to leave a mark. Mumba have nurtured a lot of Raiding stars in the past and I hope I can follow in their footsteps. Playing in this league is a dream come true and I will do my best to ensure I can repay the faith put in me."
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