Did PKL Season 12 Witness a Record-Breaking Shadloui?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Mohammadreza Shadloui achieved a record bid of INR 2.23 crore.
- The introduction of the FBM rule allows teams to reacquire players.
- Devank Dalal follows closely with a bid of INR 2.205 crore.
- Five players in Category A reached crorepati status.
- The auction sets an exciting tone for the upcoming kabaddi season.
Mumbai, May 31 (NationPress) Mohammadreza Shadloui made headlines as he was acquired for INR 2.23 crore by Gujarat Giants during the inaugural bid of the Pro Kabaddi League Player Auction on Saturday. The Season 11 Most Valuable Player (MVP) is now the first athlete to achieve over INR 2 crore three times in PKL's history.
Another prominent player to exceed the INR 2 crore threshold was Devank Dalal, recognized as the Best Raider in PKL 11. After leading the Patna Pirates to the finals in the last season, he was eventually signed by Bengal Warriorz for INR 2.205 crore, placing him as the fifth-most expensive player at the auction.
A significant feature of the PKL 12 Player Auction was the introduction of the Final Bid Match (FBM) rule, which allows teams to reacquire their released players by matching the final bid price, valid for one or two seasons. Dabang Delhi K.C. utilized this rule to welcome back their star raider Ashu Malik for INR 1.90 crore for the next two seasons.
Among the other notable bids from Category A, Arjun Deshwal was acquired by Tamil Thalaivas for INR 1.405 crore, while Yogesh Dahiya will join Bengaluru Bulls after being signed for INR 1.125 crore.
“The PKL 12 Player Auction highlights how performance is paramount, with Shadloui and Devank receiving outstanding bids exceeding INR 2 crore. We witnessed five players in this category reach crorepati status, and the new two-season FBM rule is proving impactful as demonstrated by Patna Pirates and Dabang Delhi K.C.. This sets a thrilling tone for upcoming categories as franchises build their teams for another exhilarating kabaddi season,” commented Anupam Goswami, Business Head, Mashal Sports & League Chairman, Pro Kabaddi League.
All acquisitions from PKL 12 Player Auction Category A:
Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh – INR 2.23 Crore - Gujarat Giants (fourth most expensive ever)
Fazel Atrachali – INR 30 Lakh – Dabang Delhi K.C.
Pawan Sehrawat – INR 59.5 Lakh – Tamil Thalaivas
Bharat Hooda – INR 81 Lakh – Telugu Titans
Vijay Malik – INR 51.5 Lakh – Telugu Titans via one-season FBM
Shubham Shinde – INR 80 Lakh - Telugu Titans
Ankush - INR 30 Lakh - Bengaluru Bulls
Deepak Rajender Singh -- INR 86 Lakh – Patna Pirates via two-season FBM
Yogesh Dahiya – INR 1.125 Crore – Bengaluru Bulls
Ashu Malik – INR 1.90 Crore – Dabang Delhi K.C. via two-season FBM
Arjun Deshwal – INR 1.405 Crore – Tamil Thalaivas
Devank Dalal – INR 2.205 Crore – Bengal Warriorz (fifth most expensive player).