Pro Kabaddi League Auction: 422 players to go under the hammer

The sixth edition of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) is set to begin in October and the player auction for the same will take place in Mumbai on Wednesday (May 30) and Thursday (May 31). A total of 422 players will go under the hammer over a period of two days.

Twenty-one players were retained by nine teams while three franchises -- U Mumba, Jaipur Pink Panthers and UP Yoddha – decided not to retain any player. As compared to last season when a team was allowed to retain only one player, this time they can have four members from their previous squad.

Of the total players, 58 are from 14 different nations while 87 come from the league’s Future Kabaddi Heroes Programme (FKH), a nationwide talent scouting programme held in 18 cities.

Also, for the first time, the concept of “Final Bid Match” (FBM) will be introduced. As per the FBD process, the franchises will be entitled to match the final bid made by another franchise, for one or at most two players from its previous season squad.

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Each franchise will be allowed to keep a team of minimum 18 players and a maximum of 25 players, including three from the FKH programme and two to four overseas players. Each franchise will get Rs 4 crore to form their teams.

The players drafted in the auctions have been split into five categories (A, B, C, D, and New Young Players).

While players in the A, B, C, and D categories have been set a base price of Rs 20 lakh, 12 lakh, 8 lakh, and 5 lakh respectively, the New Young Players have been fixed a price of Rs 6.6 lakh.

Patna Pirates have won the last three editions of PKL. Jaipur Pink Panthers won the inaugural season while U Mumba took home the trophy in 2015.

(With inputs from IANS)