Mallika Sagar becomes first woman auctioneer in IPL's 16-year history

The Indian Premiere League (IPL) Auction 2024 is set to make history as it will be held outside India for the first time in Dubai on 19 December.

In another first, the gavel will be handled by a female auctioneer, Mallika Sagar. Sagar is not new to the field as she has previously been the auctioneer for the Pro-Kabaddi League and the inaugural Women's Premiere League (WPL).

She takes over from Hugh Edmeades, joining the ranks of Richard Madley and Charu Sharma who have previously taken charge of IPL auctions. The auction is scheduled to take place at 1pm IST at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. The event will be broadcast on the Star Sports network and streamed via Jio Cinema in India.

A total of 333 participants, comprising 214 Indian and 119 foreign players, will be put up for auction to fill up to 77 spots.

In the upcoming IPL 2024, Mallika Sagar, a Mumbai-based art collector and consultant, will be a prominent figure. An alumnus of Bryn Mawr College, Philadelphia, where she majored in Art History, Sagar has a deep-rooted interest in Indian art.

Known for her role in the world of auctions, she has twice conducted WPL auctions. Sagar embarked on her journey as an auctioneer in 2001 at Christie’s, a renowned British auction house, making her the first female auctioneer.

Though no stranger to sports auctions, her most recent WPL sale marked her first venture into cricket. Adding another feather to her cap, she made history by conducting the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) auction in 2021, being the first female auctioneer in the league's history.

The 48-year-old has been responsible for wielding the gavel at both the player auctions for the Women’s Premier League (WPL), India’s IPL-style five-team franchise tournament for women.

Despite venturing into sports, managing a cricket auction at the WPL turned out to be an entirely different challenge. The magnitude of the operations, which included the necessity to heed the producer's instructions during a live broadcast, added a unique complexity to the task.

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