An IPL official announced that the 2024 season’s auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL) will occur in Dubai on December 19, marking the first instance of holding the auction outside India. The IPL official stated that the decision to host the auction in Dubai due to concerns about hotel availability during the wedding season.
Teams have received notification of the extension of the player retention deadline to November 26, deviating from the typical November 15 cutoff. This move provides franchises with additional time to finalize their player retention strategies for the upcoming season.
Significantly, all 10 IPL teams will now have a purse of Rs 100 crore. It is a notable increase from the previous auction’s Rs 95 crore. This enhancement offers teams greater financial flexibility in their preparations for the upcoming auction.
Mumbai Indians made the first trade ahead of the 2024 season. In a cash deal worth INR 50 lakh, Mumbai acquired West Indies’ fast-bowling all-rounder Romario Shepherd from Lucknow Super Giants. Renowned for his all-round abilities, the 28-year-old Shepherd excels in both bowling and batting.
Shepherd’s impressive T20I record includes 301 runs in 31 matches at an average of 37.62, with a strike rate of 153.57. Mumbai Indians will be Shepherd’s third IPL franchise. He had previously played for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2022 and the Lucknow Super Giants in 2023.
In the IPL 2023 season, Mumbai Indians finished fourth in the points table, with eight wins in 14 matches. Their journey ended with a defeat to Gujarat Titans in the second eliminator after overcoming Lucknow Super Giants in the first.
Fans and teams are excited about the IPL auction in Dubai. They eagerly await the strategies that will shape the rosters for the season.