Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc smashed Indian Premier League (IPL) auction records on Tuesday when Kolkata Knight Riders paid 247.5 million rupees ($2.98 million) for his services, a live broadcast showed.

Starc, 33, will return to the IPL after an eight-year absence, having previously played for Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Earlier, Australia's World Cup-winning skipper Pat Cummins became the most expensive player in Indian Premier League history Tuesday when Sunrisers Hyderabad paid 205 million rupees ($2.47 million) for his services.

The fast bowler, who skipped this year's IPL because of a packed calendar, surpassed the $2.23 million record set by England all-rounder Sam Curran last year.

"Pumped to be joining SRH for the upcoming IPL season," Cummins said in a video posted by the franchise on X, formerly Twitter.

"I have played in Hyderabad a few times and always loved it so can't wait to get started."

Source AFP

BDST: 1945 HRS, DEC 19, 2023
MSK