The team owners of the inaugural edition of the 2016 Masters Champions League spent about $4.2 million in the second hald of the biggest cricket player auction seen in the Middle East region.

 

At the Grand Midwest Hotel, of the 250 players who featured in the pool, around 100 international cricketers were purchased by the franchises of the league, said a statement.

 

The auction saw rival bidding for players who are still active in the game as they attempted to spend the $750,000 purse available per franchisee. 

 

The auction saw continuous action to the very end with striking bids done, including that of South African T20 batting star Richard Levi who started with a base amount of $20,000, but finally went for a whopping price of $152,000.

 

In 2012, Levi had entered the record books after he smashed an unbeaten 117 off 45 balls against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton. This was then the fastest-ever Twenty20 International hundred, and has since been bettered by New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum. 

 

The innings also set saw a new record for number of sixes (13) in a T20 International innings. At 27, Levi is one of the youngest players to feature in the league as his prowess in the format showed in the way the franchises bid for him furiously.

 

Most of franchises showed that they were keen to plump for current performing players showing an awareness of the need of the Twenty20 format. English batsmen Michael Carberry ($42,000) and Michael Lumb ($80,000), former Zimbabwean captain Brendan Taylor ($70,000) who featured in this year’s ICC Cricket World Cup, were the other beneficiaries of the informed bidding wars during the day.

 

Zarah Shah, MCL chief executive officer, said: “We are very pleased and impressed with the final turnout from the action. It was fascinating to see each team pit its plans and tactics against the other six, in what turned out to be a very eventful auction. Based on today’s excitement, we have no doubt that the tournament itself will be as exciting and memorable in the coming year."

 

The teams are Capricorn Commanders, Gemini Arabians, Libra Legends, Leo Lions, Sagittarius Soldiers, and Virgo Super Kings. - TradeArabia News Service