No takers for Shakib in IPL mega auction again

Bangladesh ace allrounder Shakib Al Hasan remained unsold again after his name was put on for the mega auction of Indian Premier League (IPL) on the second and final day. Shakib, 33, with a highest base price of INR 2 crore (US$266,000 approx), went unsold on the day one as no one showed the interest for him. According to the IPL auction rules, each franchise can submit 5 to 7 names of players they would still like to bid for including the unsold players.

Since some of the teams were still short of required players to fulfill their quota, Shakib's name went under hammer again but to his dismay, no one showed interest again. Shakib was expected to get a team after his superlative performance in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) where he was adjudged man of the match for the five straight matches.

No other player could be the man of the match for five times in a row in the T20 tournament in any part of the world.

In the IPL, Shakib played in nine editions from 2011 to 2021 for two teams-Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad. In between in 2013 and 2020, he could not play because of his ban from the cricket. Shakib has played 71 matches in IPL and scored 793 runs in 52 innings at an average 19.83. He has just two half-century under his belt in IPL. He hit 73 fours and 21 sixes in the IPL, the world's most attractive T20 tournament. On the other hand, he took 63 wickets with the cherry, conceding 7.44 runs per over with no four or five-wicket haul.

So Bangladesh will have one representative in IPL this year in Mustafizur Rahman. While Shakib got no takers, the name of other three players-Liton Das, Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam-who were in the list, were not put up for the auction.

Pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman was sold to Delhi Capitals for his base price of INR 2 crore (US$ 266,000) during the first day of IPL mega auction. Delhi would be Mustafizur's fourth IPL team in five years after playing in Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals.

He started his IPL journey in 2016 when Sunrisers Hyderabad recruited him. Mustafizur's performance was key in helping Hyderabad become champion in that edition. He was adjudged Emerging Player of the IPL in that year and till now remained only overseas player to have achieved that feat. Later in his stint with Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians he couldn't show that killer form. However he regained his sublime touch during his stint with Rajasthan Royals in the last year.