The Maharashtra Premier League (MPL) is all set for a grand comeback and is scheduled to take place from June 15 to June 29. On June 6, the MPL 2023 auction was held at 2 pm IST.
The matches of MPL 2023 will be held at the Maharashtra Cricket Association’s International Stadium in Gahunje, situated on the outskirts of Pune. In addition to the main tournament, there will be three exhibition matches featuring women cricketers.
During the Maharashtra Premier League (MPL) Player Auction, which took place in Pune, Naushad Shaikh, the former captain of Maharashtra, garnered significant attention. He emerged as the most sought-after player, fetching a hefty price of Rs. 6 lakh.
The Kolhapur Tuskers, owned by the Punit Balan Group, acquired him as their prized purchase. The auction witnessed a combined expenditure of nearly Rs. 1.20 crore by the six participating teams.
The bidding war for Shaikh unfolded between the Tuskers and Puneri Bappa, with Ruturaj Gaikwad, the icon player for Puneri Bappa, being involved. However, when the bidding price for Shaikh soared to ten times his base price of Rs. 60,000, Puneri Bappa withdrew from the race. Know complete details on MPL 2023 auction, team, top players, and base price.
MPL 2023 Auction: Format, Base Price
The MPL 2023 auction showcased an impressive lineup of 285 players, all vying to secure a spot in the tournament. Each franchise was allocated a purse of INR 20 lakh to spend during the auction. The MPL 2023 teams were required to purchase a minimum of 15 players in order to form a complete squad.
During the MPL 2023 auction, the non-icon players were divided into three categories, based on their experience and credentials.
These categories were distinguished by their respective base prices: Rs. 60,000, Rs. 40,000, and Rs. 20,000. The top bracket consisted of players who had previously featured in the prestigious Ranji Trophy or senior limited-overs cricket tournaments.
Maharashtra Premier League 2023 Auction: Top Picks
- Naushad Shaikh (Kolhapur Tuskers) Rs. 6 lakh
- Divyang Hinganekar (Ratnagiri Jets) Rs. 4.60 lakh
- Yash Nahar (Solapur Royals) Rs. 3.80 lakh
- Sahil Autade (Kolhapur Tuskers) Rs. 3.80 lakh
- Satyajeet Bachhav (Solapur Royals) Rs. 3.60 lakh
- Nikhil Naik (Ratnagiri Jets) Rs. 3.40 lakh.
Maharashtra Premier League 2023: Icon Players
| MPL 2023 Team Name | Owner Name | Icon Player |
| Puneri Bappa | Pravin Masalewale | Ruturaj Gaikwad |
| Kolhapur Tuskers | Punit Balan Group | Kedar Jadhav |
| Eagle Nashik Titans | Eagle Infra India Ltd. | Rahul Tripathi |
| Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings | Venkateshwara Industries | Rajvardhan Hangargekar |
| Ratnagiri Jets | Jets Synthesis | Azim Kazi |
| Solapur Royals | Kapil Sons Explosive LLP | Vicky Ostwal |
Pune Spent 14.8 Crore on Ruturaj Gaikwad
Big sums of money were expended during the acquisition of the MPL 2023 franchises. Pune, in particular, allocated a staggering 14.8 Crore to secure Ruturaj Gaikwad as their emblematic player and captain.
Likewise, Kedar Jadhav commanded a substantial payment of 11 Crore, while the remaining icon players received relatively smaller amounts, mirroring the remunerations witnessed in the IPL.
Furthermore, the promising young pacer from CSK, Hangargekar, was acquired for a whopping salary of 8.7 Crore, surpassing even his previous IPL contract.
