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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auction took place on Tuesday, December 19, at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. All 10 franchises participated in the event and picked their desired players for the upcoming season.
World Cup-winning Australian team players were in high demand at the event. Mitchell Starc entered the history books as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made him the most expensive player ever in IPL by offering him a contract worth ₹24.75 crore.
Australia captain Pat Cummins also received a humongous ₹20.5 crore bid from the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Player of the Match in the 2023 World Cup final, Travis Head secured a contract after going unsold the previous time, as SRH procured his services for ₹6.8 crore.
Daryl Mitchell (14 crore), Harshal Patel (11.75 crore), Alzarri Joseph (11.5 crore), and Spencer Johnson (10 crore) were the other players to secure winning bids north of 10 crore.
Cricket fans enjoyed the intense bidding wars and all the other action that unfolded during the IPL 2024 auction on Tuesday. They expressed their views by sharing hilarious memes on social media platforms.
Here are some of the best memes:
"It was a shock" - Mitchell Starc on becoming the most expensive player in the history of IPL
Australian pacer Mitchell Starc stated that he did not expect to get such a high bid at the IPL auction.
Starc acknowledged that there will be pressure due to his price tag. He added, however, that his previous experience of playing in the league might assist his cause during the coming season.
Speaking to Jio Cinema, Mitchell Starc said:
"It was a shock, of course. Nothing I could ever dreamt of. But no doubt, there will be some pressure that comes with that territory. But having that extra experience I have my last IPL, hopefully helps. I've had few ups and downs but this comes with the territory and I try to be successful and have as much impact as possible."
On making a comeback in the league after a lengthy hiatus, Starc said:
"It has been a while. I've been involved with RCB in 2014-15, then picked up by KKR in 2018, but got injured. But I've been prioritising international and Test cricket for Australia. Coming into the back end of this year and next year, it's much quieter for Australia as a group, so excited to be involved."
Which team do you think looks the strongest after the IPL 2024 Auction? Sound off in the comments section.
