 Dhoni emerges as the hottest property in world cricket
20th Feb 2008 21:05 IST
Agencies
Ponting will play under former Indian skipper Ganguly for Shah Rukh Khan?s Kolkata franchise who bought him at a comparatively cheap price of USD 400,000, only 75,000 USD over his base price.
Lee, bought for 900,000 USD by Preity Zinta's Team Mohali, will play under Yuvraj if he?s available. He was more modestly priced at 300,000 when the bid started.
The hard-hitting Hayden was sold to Team Chennai, which had earlier bought Dhoni in the first round, for USD 375,000 (base price USD 225,000).
West Indian opener Gayle, who can bowl off spin, was bought by Team Kolkata for 800,000 in the fourth round.
Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan, injured and out of action for almost two months, went under the hammer for USD 450,000 and will play for Bangalore with his India mates icon player Dravid and Anil Kumble. S Sreesanth, another India pacer, would play for Team Mohali and was bought for USD 625,000.
Pakistani captain Shoaib Malik, middle order mainstay Younis Khan, flashy all rounder Shahid Afridi, fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif were all sold for different franchises who, however, exercised caution when their teammate Mohammad Yousuf was offered at the auction.
Expectedly none chose to buy Yousuf, another of Pakistan's middle order mainstays, as he's fighting a court battle with the rebel Indian Cricket League of Essel Group over alleged breach of contract.
New Zealand cricketers captain Daniel Vettori, wicket keeper batsman Brendon McCullum and all rounder Jacob Oram were bought by Delhi (GMR Group), Kolkata and Chennai respectively for USD 625,000, 700,000 and 675,000.
Successful Bids:
Set A:
Shane Warne (Aus), bowler USD 450,000 (Base price 450,000) - Team Jaipur); M S Dhoni (Ind) wicket keeper/batsman USD 1,500,000 (Base price 400,000) - Team Chennai; Adam Gilchrist (Aus) wk/batsman USD 700,000 (Base price 300,000) - Team Hyderabad; Shoaib Akhtar (Pak) bowler USD 425,000 (base price USD 250,000) Team Kolkata; Mahela Jayawardene (SL) batsman USD 475,000 (base price USD 250,000) Team Mohali; Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) - bowler USD 600,000 (base price USD 250,000)Team Chennai.
Set B:
Anil Kumble (Ind) bowler USD 500,000 (base price USD 250,000) Team Bangalore; Harbhajan Singh (Ind) bowler USD 850,000 (base price USD 250,000) Team Mumbai; Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) all rounder USD 975,000 (base price USD 250,000) Team Mumbai; Kumar Sangakkara (SL) wicket keeper/batsman USD 700,000 (base price USD 250,000) Team Mohali.
Unsold (sent to reserve pool) Glenn McGrath (Aus, bowler, reserve price USD 350,000) and Mohammad Yousuf (Pak, batsman, reserve price USD 330,000). |
