The Punjab Kings (PBKS) have completed their team for the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, with the notable acquisitions being Harshal Patel and Chris Woakes.
The IPL auction floor is a high-octane and pressurized environment, and given the fierce competition among clubs for players as well as the grandeur of the event, it is not always a smooth procedure.
Mallika Sagar, who is overseeing the IPL auction for the first time, had to cope with a few challenging times during the 2024 sale. One such instance occurred during the auction’s last round, the expedited round, when the Punjab Kings (PBKS) spent 20 lakh for uncapped Indian player Shashank Singh.
Everything had gone swimmingly until that moment, with PBKS gaining the player’s services after no other paddle was raised on the auction floor. As is customary, the auctioneer sold the player to the franchise and went on to the next.
However, just as the procedure for the next player was about to begin, the staff on the PBKS auction table, including Ness Wadia, Preity Zinta, Sanjay Bangar, and Trevor Bayliss, halted the proceedings by claiming that they had purchased the wrong player. They sought to correct the error and have the money returned to their account, as well as free up the position formerly occupied by Shashank Singh.
Mallika Sagar, on the other hand, made it quite plain that once the hammer falls, the judgment cannot be reversed. As a result, PBKS was forced to make peace with the incorrect player in their squad.
While the athlete will be monetarily compensated as a result of this agreement, he will enter the season knowing that the team did not want him in the first place and instead wanted his namesake.
Delhi Capitals also bid for the wrong player like PBKS during IPL 2024 Auction but got away with it
When Sumeet Varma’s name came up during the auction, the Delhi Capitals (DC) placed a bid when they really planned to buy on Sumeet Kumar. Fortunately for the franchise, they saw the confusion straight away and requested that their offer be annulled.
Because the hammer did not fall and the auctioneer was still seeking for a counter-offer, DC’s bid was overturned, resulting in the player being unsold.
As the auction continued, DC was able to secure Sumeet Kumar for his starting price.