Mumbai, June 1 (UNI) Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) witnessed a landmark moment on Saturday as a record ten players breached the ₹1 crore mark on Day 1 of the Season 12 Player Auction, doubling the number of crorepatis from Season 10 and underlining the league’s growing stature.
Iranian all-rounder and two-time PKL champion Mohammadreza Shadloui became the first player in the league’s history to command over ₹2 crore in three consecutive seasons. He was snapped up by Gujarat Giants for a staggering ₹2.23 crore in the opening bid, setting the tone for a frenetic evening of high-value signings.
Joining Shadloui in the ₹2 crore club was Devank Dalal, the Best Raider of PKL 11, who was acquired by Bengal Warriorz for ₹2.205 crore — the fifth-highest auction price in PKL history.
The newly introduced Final Bid Match (FBM) rule — which allows franchises to retain released players by matching their final bid — played a decisive role in shaping squad strategies. Dabang Delhi K.C. used the FBM provision to re-sign their star raider Ashu Malik for ₹1.90 crore for two seasons, while Patna Pirates exercised the same for Ankit Jaglan at ₹1.573 crore for one season.
Category A produced five crorepatis, with Tamil Thalaivas signing Arjun Deshwal for ₹1.405 crore and Bengaluru Bulls securing Yogesh Dahiya for ₹1.125 crore.
Category B matched the intensity with five more players breaching the crore mark. Haryana Steelers shelled out ₹1.20 crore for Naveen Kumar, while UP Yoddhas signed Guman Singh for ₹1.073 crore.
Rounding off the list of crorepatis were Sachin Tanwar, picked by Puneri Paltan for ₹1.058 crore, and Nitin Kumar, who was bought by Jaipur Pink Panthers for ₹1.002 crore.
Commenting on the milestone event, Anupam Goswami, Business Head of Mashal Sports and League Commissioner, Pro Kabaddi League, said, “Day 1 of the PKL Season 12 Player Auction was a landmark moment, with a record-breaking 10 players crossing the ₹1 crore mark across Categories A and B — reflecting the continued growth in player value and the league’s evolution over the past decade."
"The introduction of the two-season Final Bid Match (FBM) rule also had an impact, with two teams choosing to retain players for a longer duration — highlighting our commitment to building continuity within squads. We now look forward to Day 2, as the franchisees build their squads for the upcoming season.”
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