KM Asif was acquired by the Kollam Sailors (x)

The inaugural Kerala Cricket League (KCL) auction, held in Thiruvananthapuram, ignited a spirited bidding war among the six franchises as they sought to assemble their squads for the upcoming T20 tournament. 

The six-franchise T20 tournament is set to unfold at the Greenfield International Stadium from September 2 to 19.

M. Sajeevan Akhil The Most Expensive Acquisition In KCL

The event culminated in M. Sajeevan Akhil as he became the most expensive player and secured a hefty INR 7.4 lakh bid from the Trivandrum Royals. 

The 33-year-old all-rounder, with limited T20 experience, is expected to play a pivotal role for his team. 

Speaking of icon players, P.A. Abdul Basit (Trivandrum Royals), Sachin Baby (Kollam Sailors), Mohammad Azharuddin (Alleppey Ripples), Basil Thampi (Kochi Blue Tigers), Vishnu Vinod (Thrissur Titans), and Rohan S. Kunnammal (Calicut Globstars) were pre-selected ahead of the auction.

Varun Nayanar of the Thrissur Titans emerged as the second-most expensive player in the auction, securing a bid of INR 7.2 lakh. 

Right-arm medium pacer, KM Asif, who has featured in four matches for the Chennai Super Kings, was acquired by the Kollam Sailors for a sum of INR 5.2 lakh.

The six franchises set to compete in the inaugural edition of the tournament include Trivandrum Royals, Thrissur Titans, Kochi Blue Tigers, Calicut Globstars, Alleppey Ripples, and Kollam Sailors. 

 Top 10 Acquisitions From KCL 2024 Auction:

1.  M S Akhil – Trivandrum Royals (INR 7.4 lakh)
2. Varun Nayanar – Thrissur Titans (INR 7.2 lakh)
3. Manu Krishan – Kochi Blue Tigers, Salman Nizar – Calicut Globstars (INR 7 lakh)
4. Ajnas M. – Calicut Globstar, Krishna Prasad – Alleppey Ripples (INR 6.2 lakh)
5. KM Asif – Kollam Sailors (INR 5.2 lakh)
6. Vinod Kumar C. V. – Trivandrum Royals, Akshay Chandran – Alleppey, Ripples (INR 5 lakh)
7. Sharafuddeen – Kollam Sailors (INR 4 lakh)