Abu Dhabi [UAE], December 16 (ANI): The accelerated round of the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction at Abu Dhabi on Tuesday witnessed some major highlights with Bangladesh left-armer Mustafizur Rahman heading to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for Rs 9.20 crores, West Indies veteran Jason Holder going to Gujarat Titans (GT) for Rs 7 crores and Sri Lanka's leading T20I run-getter Pathum Nissanka going to Delhi Capitals (DC) for Rs 4 crores.

Besides the international stars getting attention, the night continued to be a big payday for Indian uncapped players as MP batter Akshat Raghuvanshi went to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for Rs 2.2 crores and left-arm pacer from MP, Mangesh Yadav, went to RCB for Rs 5.2 crores.

Nissanka had a base price of Rs 75 lakhs, and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and DC started a bidding war over it. DC emerged victorious in the bid and took him for Rs 4 crores. He is the leading run-getter for SL, with 2,345 runs at an SR of 126.96, including a century and 18 fifties. He has this year made 625 T20I runs at an average of 36.76, with a century and four fifties and an improved strike rate of almost 150. With 226 runs in five innings at an average of 45.20 and a SR of over 191, with three fifties, he is the top run-getter in International League T20 (ILT20) with the Gulf Giants.

The experienced Windies star Holder attracted CSK and Gujarat Titans (GT) in the bidding war, and the price reached Rs seven crores, and it was GT which prevailed. He has taken 90 wickets in 64 T20s at an average of 21.54, with six four-fers, the most by a bowler this year. For WI, he has featured in 86 T20Is, scoring 746 runs at a strike rate of over 135 and taking 97 wickets at an average of 26.87.

Mustafizur entered the auction with a base price of Rs two crores. Having played for DC last season as an injury replacement, it was they who opened the bidding. 'Fizz', who also took 14 wickets for CSK in the 2024 season, drew attention from the Men in Yellow, and these two both teams started a bidding war. KKR interrupted the war and got him for Rs 9.20 crores. With 387 wickets in 308 matches at an average of above 21, Mustafizur brings a lot of experience and match-winning ability to the side.

Also, former KKR star Rahul Tripathi finally returned home for Rs 75 lakh, his base price following a poor season with CSK last year. He featured in 28 matches for the franchise from 2020-21, scoring 627 runs at an average of 26.13, SR of above 135 and three fifties.

Australian all-rounder Matthew Short, a two-time Big Bash League MVP, went to CSK for Rs 1.5 crores, having made 382 runs in 19 innings at an SR of over 155 with a fifty for Australia and taking eight wickets with his useful spin at an average of 17.00. Another Aussie all-rounder, who shot to fame with an unbeaten 61* at Adelaide, which won Australia the ODI series against India, went to Punjab Kings (PBKS) for Rs three crores. In 36 T20s, he has scored 705 runs at an average of 33.57, SR of above 136 and taken 13 wickets. Started off the BBL latest season with a match-winning 59 for Perth Scorchers.

Kolkata Knight Riders got the Kiwi's hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert for Rs 1.5 crores. He is one of the best T20 batters this year, with 1,585 runs at an average of over 33 and an SR of above 148 in 60 matches, with two centuries and five fifties in 53 innings. He has 6,698 runs in 293 T20s at an average of 28.62, SR of above 134, four centuries and 32 fifties. With these amazing stats, he stays NZ's top wicketkeeper choice for next year's T20 World Cup.

MP's batter Akshat saw LSG and SRH bidding for him, and he earned his maiden IPL gig with LSG. In the Madhya Pradesh Premier League this year, he made 259 runs in four matches at an average of 59.75, SR of over 177, with a century and fifty each. Also, left-armer pacer from MP, Mangesh, went to RCB for Rs 5.2 crores as a back-up for left-armer Yash Dayal. He topped the MP Premier League bowling charts with 14 wickets in six matches at an average of 12.00 and three four-fers with his name.

RCB also got spinner Satwik Deswal, a product of their development system, for Rs 30 lakh.

Red-ball star Danish Malewar from Vidarbha, went to MI for Rs 30 lakh, his base price. He has made 1,151 runs in 13 first-class matches at an average of 52.31, with three centuries and eight fifties in 22 innings.

Also, hard-hitting Punjab finisher Salil Arora, who is on a rampage in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 1.5 crores. He has made 358 runs for Punjab in eight matches at an average of 71.60, SR of above 198, with a century and fifty each, including a 45-ball 125* against MP.

Mumbai-born Puducherry all-rounder Aman Khan headed to CSK for Rs 40 lakh, while Ravi Singh, the wicketkeeper-batter, went to RR for 95 lakhs.

Bihar's Sakib Hussain, a net bowler for CSK at one point, was sold to SRH for Rs 30 lakhs.

SRH also got Omkar Tarmale, their net bowler Krains Fuletra, Praful Hinge and Amit Kumar for Rs 30 lakh each. MI got Mohammad Izhar and Atharva Ankolekar for Rs 30 lakhs each. KKR got Sarthak Ranjan, the second-highest run-getter in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025 season, with 449 runs in nine matches at an average of 56.12, with a century and four fifties for Rs 30 lakhs and also got Daksh Kamra of Hyderabad.

Amongst international stars, Afghanistan's Sediqullah Atal, Australia's pacers Sean Abbott and Ben Dwarshius, New Zealand all-rounders Michael Bracewell, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell and Nathan Smith and pacer Adam Milne went unsold. Also, Jordan Cox, the English wicketkeeper-batter who topped the run-charts in The Hundred with 367 matches in nine matches and Proteas pacer Lungi Ngidi went unsold. Another English wicketkeeper Tom Banton also went unsold.

Other notable unsold names included Indian pacer Chetan Sakariya, India's Kuldeep Sen, Kerala's rising batting star Salman Nizar, Australia's Jhye Richardson, Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka, Kerala pacer KM Asif, and Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed, Aussie quick Riley Meredith, India's KC Carriapa, Bengal all-rounder Karan Lal and Tripura all-rounder Manisankar Murasingh. (ANI)