England all-rounder Sam Curran became the Indian Premier League's (IPL) most expensive ever buy in the players' auction on Friday as the world's richest cricket league spent big ahead of the 2023 season.
Curran returned to Punjab Kings for the staggering sum of Rs 18.5 crore ($2.23 million) following a fierce bidding war involving the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.
Curran, who was player-of-the-series in England's T20 World Cup triumph in Australia this year, previously featured for the Punjab Kings in 2019.
"Back to where it all started! Looking forward to it," tweeted the 24-year-old.
The fee for Curran surpassed the previous highest bid of Rs 16.25 crore, paid by the Rajasthan Royals for South African all-rounder Chris Morris last year.
The previous record fee paid for Morris was broken once more on Friday, with Mumbai Indians paying Rs 17.5 crore for Australian all-rounder Cameron Green.
"I'm pinching myself that this has all happened," Green, 23, said in a video message during the auction broadcast.
"It's such a weird feeling watching an auction for yourself. I can't believe how nervous I was and I was shaking like anything when the final call was confirmed."
Super Kings made up for missing out on Curran by signing England red-ball captain Ben Stokes for Rs 16.25 crore.
Batsman Harry Brook, who made his England Twenty20 International and Test debuts this year, became the first millionaire of the day after being signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 13.25 crore.
West Indies wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran went to Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 16 crore.
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and England batter Joe Root went unsold.
