Punjab Kings (PBKS) had a great performance in the 2024 auction of the Indian Premier League (IPL). They fulfilled almost all the requirements of the event and brought in some big names to strengthen their team for the next edition of the league.
While they got almost everyone they wanted in the team, Punjab Kings also made a mistake in the auction. That incident left many wondering what really happened and fans criticized the franchise for the unprofessional behavior.
The Punjab Kings gambled on young Indian player Shashank Singh and acquired him. When the auctioneer introduced the next player to bid, team management stopped the process. They were told they didn’t need the player, but the host disagreed and said the hammer fell.
Here is the video:
There are fantastic scenes here where the notoriously inept Kings of Punjab manage to not only buy a player they didn’t want (Shashank Singh) but also admit it in front of literally everyone. We can assume that Singh is sitting at home wondering if he will show up in March. #IPLAuction #pbks pic.twitter.com/PtLQv9t07H
– Punjab Kings UK🇬🇧👑 (@PunjabKingsUK) December 19, 2023
However, Shashank Singh will play for Punjab Kings in IPL 2024. They had to accept it as they had no other option. The decision was even criticized by Jio Cinema anchor Suhail Chandok. He said the team didn’t seem clear on its tactics.
He said: “We don’t see that in the auction if you are clear about your plans.”
Shashank Singh was part of Sunrises Hyderabad in IPL 2022. However, the team released him ahead of the 2023 edition. The Chattisgarh player did not attract any bidders in last year’s auction.
Shashank Singh is in the middle of nowhere ahead of IPL 2024. The franchise surely didn’t want him, but they added him to the team. It remains to be seen what his future will be with the team in the tournament. The team could release an official statement, but so far things look bleak.
Apart from him, Punjab Kings brought in some good players. They spent a whopping Rs 11.75 crore for Harshal Patel and acquired Chris Woakes for Rs 4.2 crore. They finally got the chance to bring in Rilee Rossouw for 8 million rupees.
IPL 2024 auction: Punjab Kings full squad, players retained, players brought for auction
Punjab Kings were among the teams that filled all 25 spots. Here is the complete squad for IPL 2024:
Shikhar Dhawan (c), Matthew Short, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Sikandar Raza, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa , Shivam Singh, Harshal Patel, Chris Woakes, Ashutosh Sharma, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Shashank Singh, Tanay Thyagarajann, Prince Choudhary, Rilee Rossouw.
Players brought by Punjab Kings in IPL 2024 auction:
Harshal Patel (Rs. 11.75 crore), Chris Woakes (Rs. 4.20 crore), Ashutosh Sharma (Rs. 20 lakh), Vishwanath Pratap Singh (Rs. 20 lakh), Shashank Singh (Rs. 20 lakh), Tanay Thyagarajann (Rs. . . 20 lakh), Prince Choudhary (Rs. 20 lakh), Rilee Rossouw (Rs. 8 crore).
Player retained by Punjab Kings ahead of IPL 2024
Shikhar Dhawan, Matthew Short, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Sikandar Raza, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Shivam Singh . .
Punjab Kings brought 8 players to the IPL 2024 auction. However, despite spending huge amounts of money, they still have Rs 4.15 crore outstanding.