IPL Mega Auction 2022: Liam Livingstone costliest foreign player; sold for Rs 11.50 cr

England all-rounder Liam Livingstone has emerged as the most expensive overseas player at the IPL Mega Auction 2022 so far. After an intense bidding war with Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad on Day 2 of the auction, he was bought by Punjab Kings for a whopping Rs 11.50 crore. 

Livingstone was the first player in Set 2 of all-rounders to go under the hammer on Day 2 of the IPL Mega Auction 2022. Livingstone was the highlight of the first session as he hit the million-dollar-plus mark with five teams bidding for him at one point in time.

On Day 1, Sri Lankan cricketer Wanindu Hasaranga was the most expensive foreign player sold at the auction for Rs 10.75 crore to Royal Challengers Bangalore. 

Livingstone is a right-handed opening batsman and occasional spin bowler, capable of bowling both right-arm leg and off-spin. In July 2021, in a match against Pakistan, Livingstone scored his first century in a T20I match, becoming just the third man to score a T20I hundred for England. 

Livingstone played for Rajasthan Royals in the previous season and didn't actually perform well on slow tracks, but franchises, with still slots to be filled (minimum 18 per squad), looked desperate for him.

Ishan Kishan still remains the most expensive player sold at IPL mega auction. Mumbai Indians bought the 24-year-old for Rs 15.25 crore. The second biggest bid of Day 1 was for  Deepak Chahar who went to Chennai Super Kings for Rs 14 crore.

Apart from Liam Livingstone, Punjab Kings also bought West Indies fast bowler Odean Smith for Rs 6 crore on the second day of the IPL. 

Among the Indian players, all-rounder Shivam Dube fetched Rs 4 crore from Chennai Super Kings for his six-hitting abilities, while Gujarat Titans bagged another out of favour multi-skilled player Vijay Shankar for Rs 1.4 crore.

Cheteshwar Pujara predictably went unsold at the auction, while Ajinkya Rahane was bought at his base price of Rs1 crore by Kolkata Knight Riders.

(with input from agencies)

Also read: IPL Mega Auction 2022 Day 2: Check out full list of sold players, unsold players so far

Also read: IPL Auction: Delhi Capitals bags Chetan Sakariya, Livingstone most expensive buy on Day 2