It is time for one of the most enthralling events of the season. Yes, the five-Test Australia v India Test series begins on Friday, but we are not talking about that. It is time for the annual Indian Premier League player auction. Yay.
Almost all remaining Test series of this cycle are beginning over the coming weeks, with the fight of a spot in the World Test Championship final expected to intensify over the next few months. However, all eyes of the cricket world will be on Saudi Arabia for two full days as the player auction for IPL 2025 takes place in Jeddah on Sunday and Monday.
Why is the IPL auction being held on those days? Why is it taking place in the middle of the first Test between India and Australia, whose players will be in high demand during the auction and could get distracted? It is the BCCI decision, and only they know why they do the things they do.
Over two days in the kingdom, some of the biggest stars in the game will go into the auction pool after all 10 franchises announced their retentions - some of them surprising - which was raised to six per team to accommodate the requests of established teams who have invested heavily to create a successful core.
A number of top-tier players will be part of the proceedings, including the likes of Rishabh Pant, Mitchell Starc and Jos Buttler. With some teams left with a significant purse after the retentions, a few players could attract very high bids.
So how high can the bids go? Below is the list of the most expensive players in the history of IPL.
Most expensive players in IPL auction history
1. Mitchell Starc - 247.5 million Indian rupees ($3 million*), Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2024
2. Pat Cummins - 205m rupees ($2.47m), Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2024
3. Sam Curran - 185m rupees ($2.23m), Punjab Kings, 2023
4. Cameron Green - 175m rupees ($2.14m), Mumbai Indians, 2023
5. Ben Stokes - 162.5m rupees ($2m), Chennai Super Kings, 2023
5. Chris Morris - 162.5m rupees ($2.2m), Rajasthan Royals, 2021
7. Yuvraj Singh - 160m rupees ($2.67m) Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), 2015
7. Nicholas Pooran - 160m rupees ($1.98m), Lucknow Super Giants, 2023
9. Pat Cummins - 155m rupees ($2.18m), Kolkata Knight Riders, 2020
10. Ishan Kishan - 152.5m rupees ($1.86m), Mumbai Indians, 2022
Most expensive player in each IPL auction
2008 - MS Dhoni (95m Indian rupees, $1.5m), Chennai Super Kings
2009 - Andrew Flintoff (CSK) and Kevin Pietersen (RCB) (98m rupees, $1.55m)
2010 - Shane Bond (KKR) and Kieron Pollard (MI) (48m rupees, $750,000)
2011 - Gautam Gambhir (110.4m rupees, $2.4m), Kolkata Knight Riders
2012 - Ravindra Jadeja (97.2m rupees, $2m), Chennai Super Kings
2013 - Glenn Maxwell (53m rupees, $1m), Mumbai Indians
2014 - Yuvraj Singh (140m rupees, $2.33m), Royal Challengers Bangalore
2015 - Yuvraj Singh (160m rupees, $2.67m), Delhi Daredevils
2016 - Shane Watson (95m rupees, $1.4m), Royal Challengers Bangalore
2017 - Ben Stokes (145m rupees, $2.17m), Rising Pune Super Giants
2018 - Ben Stokes (125m rupees, $1.95m), Rajasthan Royals
2019 - Jaydev Unadkat (84m rupees, $1.17m), Rajasthan Royals
2020 - Pat Cummins (155m rupees, $2m), Kolkata Knight Riders
2021 - Chris Morris (162.5m rupees, $2.2m), Rajasthan Royals
2022 - Ishan Kishan (152.5m rupees, $2m), Mumbai Indians
2023 - Sam Curran (185m rupees, $2.23m), Punjab Kings
2024 - Mitchell Starc (247.5m rupees, $3m), Kolkata Knight Riders
* Dollar values according to exchange rate at the time
MATCH INFO
Europa League final
Marseille 0
Atletico Madrid 3
Greizmann (21', 49'), Gabi (89')
Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
if you go
The flights
Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com
Seeing the games
Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com
Staying there
Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Monster Hunter: World
Capcom
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.4-inch IPS LCD, 400 nits, toughened glass
CPU: Unisoc T610; Mali G52 GPU
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 64GB, up to 512GB microSD
Camera: 8MP rear, 5MP front
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 3.5mm audio
Battery: 8200mAh, up to 10 hours video
Platform: Android 11
Audio: Stereo speakers, 2 mics
Durability: IP52
Biometrics: Face unlock
Price: Dh849
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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