JEDDAH: With the stage set for the much-anticipated Indian Premier League mega auction, the bidding war began at the Abadi Al-Johar Arena in Jeddah on Sunday, where the squads of the 10 franchises will be finalized over two days from a pool of 574 players.

Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and chairman-elect of the apex cricket body, the International Cricket Council, arrived in the Red Sea city of Jeddah ahead of the TATA IPL 2025 auction.

“This marks Saudi Arabia’s first-ever international cricket event, set to take place on November 24-25, 2024,” the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation said in a statement to Arab News.

Shah was warmly received at the airport by Prince Saud bin Mishal Al-Saud, chairman of SACF, along with Vice Chairman Nawaf Al-Otaibi and CEO Tariq Sagga.

A number of investors, franchise representatives and officials from the BCCI also arrived in Jeddah in preparation for the highly anticipated auction, which is a key event in the global cricket calendar.

“This historic event marks a new chapter for cricket in Saudi Arabia, as the Kingdom continues to strengthen its position on the global sports stage, in line with its Vision 2030,” SACF said.

The IPL will enter its 18th season next year, and the Red Sea City is an important stop en route, where the squads of the ten franchises — Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, ‎Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Sunrisers Hyderabad — will be finalized at the mega auction.

After the news of the mega auction to be held at an overseas venue came out, the names of Dubai, London, Riyadh and Jeddah started doing the rounds before the Red Sea City was finalized by the BCCI for the marquee event.

The Abadi Al-Johar Arena, named after the famous Saudi singer, and which has seating capacity of 15,000, hosts the mega event, where the squads of the 10 franchises will be finalized.

Out of a stellar list of marquee players featuring in the TATA IPL auction, Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh raked in the money, becoming the first player to be sold in the Jeddah IPL auction. He received $2.13 million as Punjab Kings used their right-to-match card to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Star India player Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League as Lucknow Super Giants spent a mind-boggling $3.19 million on the wicketkeeper-batter.

The ten franchises are gunning to set their team for the next few years; on Day 1, however, only 84 top cricketers will go under the hammer. On Day 2, the 10 franchises will nominate a set of players who will be auctioned in an accelerated manner, followed by the last round, where the unsold players will be back for auction again.
 
Unlike regular auctions, the mega auction that takes place every three years is spread over two days instead of one. It is one of the most-followed events in cricket, as the ten IPL franchises build their squads for the next three years (2025-27).

As the Tata IPL auction, cricket’s most lucrative event, takes place in Jeddah, franchise representatives will spend more than $71 million across two days.

The Tata IPL 2025 mega auction will see plenty of twists, turns, unexpected signings and records broken, as the availability of Indian and international stars is greater than ever and all ten franchises are looking to rebuild their squads from the start.

A total of 12 marquee players, including Indian stars such as Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, have created a buzz within the cricket fraternity. Players have been shortlisted from an initial pool of 1,574 names.

These players will go under the hammer over the two-day mega auction in Jeddah. The list includes 208 overseas players, 12 uncapped overseas talents and 318 uncapped Indian players, according to the cricket reference book Wisden.

LAS VEGAS: Max Verstappen claimed a fourth consecutive Formula One world title under the lights of the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday.

The 27-year-old Dutchman came home in fifth place in a race won by George Russell of Mercedes as he became just the sixth man after Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Juan Manuel Fangio, Sebastian Vettel and Alain Prost to claim four championships.

McLaren’s Lando Norris, who was Verstappen’s only title rival, finished in sixth place.

“Oh my god what a season, four times, thank you guys,” Verstappen told his Red Bull team on the radio.

“It’s a little more difficult than last year, but we pulled through. Thank you so much guys.”

Russell came home 7.313 seconds clear of seven-time champion and Mercedes teammate Hamilton, who had started from 10th on the grid.

The Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were third and fourth places respectively.

Norris, in sixth, was 43 seconds adrift ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.

Nico Hulkenberg was eighth for Haas ahead of RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull.

Norris, who needed to outscore Verstappen by three points to keep his title hopes alive, took an extra point for fastest lap, but his challenge was over.

On a dry, windy and milder night in the Nevada desert, the air and track temperature was 18 degrees as Russell made a perfect start from his fourth pole position to lead with Leclerc, from fourth, leaping to second off the grid.

Everyone except Fernando Alonso started on mediums, the Spaniard taking softs that lasted only four laps while, at the front, Leclerc made an early bid to pass Russell and Verstappen swept by Pierre Gasly for fourth.

The Dutchman, looking imperious, made more progress on lap nine by passing Leclerc for third as Norris overtook Gasly for fifth while Hamilton moved up to eighth.

Piastri was given a five-second penalty for a false start, from outside his grid box, as Sainz, Leclerc and Norris pitted for hards, followed by Verstappen and Russell on lap 12.

Hamilton profited from the frantic action to lead the race for a lap before the order settled with Russell leading ahead of Perez, who made an early stop, and Verstappen.

On lap 15, Perez waved Verstappen through to second behind Russell and Gasly retired with engine failure in his Alpine.

Hamilton, showing great speed, climbed to fifth by lap 20 behind the two Ferraris, leaving Norris struggling in sixth.

“The front right looks like it is about to go any lap,” reported Norris. His title dream, like his tires, appeared to be evaporating as McLaren slithered in pursuit, unable to find any grip.

By half-distance, Russell led Verstappen by 11 seconds with Sainz, complaining about his tires, third ahead of Leclerc and Hamilton before, on lap 28, both multiple champions pitted.

Hamilton was hampered by Sainz, crossing in and out of the pit lane as Ferrari ordered him to stay out and swap places with Leclerc. The Spaniard pitted a lap later, falling to sixth.

All this saw Norris rise to third before he pitted again on lap 31 falling to seventh while Hamilton, in the mood, cruised past Verstappen for second behind Russell.

Irked by suggestions that his “shelf life” was ending, Hamilton, on older tires, trimmed Russell’s lead from 11 seconds to six in five vintage laps.

Verstappen, concentrating on the big prize, was passed by Sainz but kept Leclerc behind him with Norris 10 seconds adrift in sixth until lap 47 when the Monegasque passed him for fourth.