Jeddah [Saudi Arabia], November 23 (ANI): Actor and Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta has landed in Jeddah and she is super excited about the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction, scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia on November 24 and November 25.
Taking to Instagram, Preity shared a video showcasing the scenic location in Jeddah. In the caption, she expressed her excitement about the auction and also invited recommendations for their potential auction strategy.
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“Done with my digital detox ! Landed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for the IPL Auction. Watch this space for some amazing new announcements folks. Till then all recommendations for our new team are welcome. Bring it on #Ting #IPLAuction2025 #Saddasquad @punjabkingsipl,” she wrote.
Ahead of the highly-anticipated auctions for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League, Punjab Kings announced batters Prabhsimran Singh(Rs 4 crore) and Shashank Singh (Rs 5.5 crores) as their player retentions for the coming edition.
Prabhsimran has been with Punjab since 2019 and over the past six years, the wicketkeeper has scored 756 runs in 34 games at an average of 22.24 and a strike rate of 146.23, with a century and three fifties.
Meanwhile, Shashank emerged as one of the key players for the team last season, scoring an impressive 354 runs in 14 games at an average of 44.25 and a strike rate of 164.65, with two fifties.
PBKS finished at ninth last season, with five wins, nine losses and 10 points.
A total of 574 players have been shortlisted from an initial pool of 1,574 names. These players will go under the hammer from November 24-25 in Jeddah. The list includes 208 overseas players, 12 uncapped overseas talents, and 318 uncapped Indian players.
The highest reserve price is set at INR 2 crore, with 81 players opting for this bracket. The largest segment comprises players with a base price of INR 30 lakh, totalling 320.
Among the standout names are Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul, part of the 12 marquee players. These three captains were released by their respective franchises ahead of the retention deadline. For the first time since 2018, the marquee players are divided into two sets, comprising seven Indian players and five overseas stars.
The first set includes Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and Arshdeep Singh, while the second features KL Rahul, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj. The overseas marquee players are Mitchell Starc, Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, David Miller, and Kagiso Rabada.
Several teams will deploy Right-to-Match (RTM) cards during the auction. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), having retained six players each–the maximum allowed–will not have any RTM cards. Punjab Kings (PBKS) hold four RTMs, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) three, and Delhi Capitals (DC) two. Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Gujarat Titans (GT), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), and Mumbai Indians (MI) each have one RTM.
RTM cards enable teams to buy back released players by matching the highest bid. In this auction, the team with the highest bid can increase their offer once more, after which the team holding the RTM card can match the final bid to secure the player.
The IPL 2025 Mega Auction promises to deliver high-stakes action, with marquee players and strategic manoeuvres set to enthral cricket fans. (ANI)
