IPL Auction 2024

‘Zindagi ho toh Pooran jaisi ho’- Twitter reacts as Nicholas Pooran bags another big deal in the mini-auction

Former Hyderabad player Nicholas Pooran was sold to Lucknow for Rs 16 crore in the Indian T20 League 2023 mini-auction on Friday, making him the most expensive wicketkeeper batter in cash-rich league auction history.

Chennai started the bid at the base price of Rs. 2 crores. Rajasthan gave the four-time champion a fight as the prices shot past Rs. 3 crore. Delhi entered the race at Rs. 3.60 crores. Both teams remained locked in the contest past Rs. 6 crores.

Lucknow joined the race with Rs. 7.25 crore and then the price eventually crossed Rs. 10 crore. Neither team relented, pushing the price over Rs. 15 crores. The KL Rahul-led side finally signed the player as the Rishabh Pant-led side opted out of the race with a sum hitting Rs 16 crore.

Pooran luck shines again in the Indian T20 League

Pooran was released by Hyderabad ahead of the 2023 mini-auction. He played for the Franchise in the last season. Playing 14 games, the left-handed batter scored 306 runs at an average of 26.06. He held a brilliant strike rate of 144+ while batting and slammed 2 half-centuries in the tournament.

Pooran played his first cash-rich league season in 2019. So far, he has played 47 games over the last 4 seasons. He has slammed 912 runs at an average of 26.06 and a strike rate of 151+. Pooran has also slammed 4 fifties in the league with a top knock of unbeaten 64 runs.

The West Indies player has played 52 ODIs and 72 T20Is so far. In 52 ODIs, the left-handed batsman has smacked 1555 runs at an average of 36.16. He has also hit 1 century and 11 half-centuries for the team. In 72 T20Is, he has mustered 1427 runs at an average of 25.48 and a strike rate of 129+. He has also slammed 9 half-centuries in the shortest format with a top knock of 74 runs in one game. Pooran is yet to play any Test match for West Indies.