WPL 2024 Auctioneer: Who Is Conducting Women's Premier League Season 2 Auction?

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WPL 2024 Auction day has arrived with at least 30 players, including 9 overseas stars, likely to land Women's Premier League contracts at the end of the bidding process at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.

A total of 165 players are set to go under the hammer as the five teams - Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, UP Warriorz, Gujarat Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore will look to strengthen their squads for the upcoming season.

And when it comes to auction, the focus will mostly be on players and teams, but there has also been interest among fans of who conducts the auction since the inception of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

BCCI first hired Rob Madley to conduct the IPL auctions and later moved to Hugh Edmeades with Charu Sharma also stepping in when required. In WPL, the BCCI roped in a female auctioneer to conduct the auction in season 1.

Who is the WPL 2024 Auctioneer?

Mallika Sagar, who orchestrated proceedings last year, will be resuming duties in this year's WPL auction as well. Mallika Sagar conducted the auction for the inaugural season earlier this year in February 2023.

Now, 10 months later, the Mumbai-based art collector and a consultant for modern & contemporary Indian art, is set to return to conduct the Women's Premier League season 2 auction.

While she is an art collector, Mallika Sagar has been conducting auctions for the last two decades with her first auction being at Christie's in 2001, when she became the first woman auctioneer of Indian origin.

The 48-year-old has also conducted the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) auctions earlier. She was part of the PKL auction in 2021. According to recent reports, she is also likely to replace Hugh Edmeades in the upcoming IPL 2024 auction on December 19.

Among the total of 165 players, 104 are Indian and 61 are overseas. And among them are 94 uncapped players and 71 capped players. Deandra Dottin, Annabel Sutherland, Chamari Athapaththu will be attracting huge bids.

Gujarat Giants, who released most part of their squad, are likely to be the busiest side in the auction followed by RCB, who also released seven players. Last season's champions MI and runners up DC also will look at further strengthening their squads, having retained the core.