Record-breaking Shadloui shines at PKL 12 Player Auction; bags over Rs 2 crore bid for third-straight season

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India] May 31 (ANI): Mohammadreza Shadloui created history at the outset after the Season 11's Most Valuable Player was snapped up for Rs 2.23 crore in the very first bid of the evening by Gujarat Giants for Pro Kabaddi League (PKL).
The two-time Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) champion is the first player to go for more than Rs two crore three times in PKL history, according to a release from PKL.
Another top player to cross the Rs 2-crore mark was Devank Dalal, who was the Best Raider in PKL 11. Having led the line for the Patna Pirates as they reached the final in the previous campaign, Devank was eventually signed by Bengal Warriorz for 2.205 crores, making him the fifth-most expensive player in the PKL Player Auction.
A highlight of the PKL 12 Player Auction is the new Final Bid Match (FBM) rule, which allows teams to buy back their released players by matching the final auction bid price for either one or two seasons.
Dabang Delhi K.C. used this FBM rule to bring their star raider Ashu Malik back to the team for INR 1.90 crores for the next two seasons.
The other top bids from Category A included Arjun Deshwal, who was signed by Tamil Thalaivas for Rs 1.405 crore, and Yogesh Dahiya, who will ply his trade for Bengaluru Bulls after being signed for Rs1.125 crore.
"The PKL 12 Player Auction for Category A shows how performance plays a key role, with Shadloui and Devank being rewarded with exceptional bids of over Rs 2 Crore. We also saw five Crorepatis in this Category, and the new two-season FBM rule is making an impact after being used by Patna Pirates and then Dabang Delhi K.C. This sets the stage for the rest of the Categories as the franchises build their squads for another season of exciting kabaddi action," said Anupam Goswami, Business Head, Mashal Sports & League Chairman, Pro Kabaddi League.
All the buys from PKL 12 Player Auction Category A:
Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh - 2.23 Cr - Gujarat Giants (fourth most expensive ever)
Fazel Atrachali -30 Lakhs - Dabang Delhi K.C.
Pawan Sehrawat - 59.5 Lakhs - Tamil Thalaivas
Bharat Hooda - 81 Lakhs - Telugu Titans
Vijay Malik - 51.5 Lakhs - Telugu Titans via one-season FBM
Shubham Shinde - 80 Lakhs - Telugu Titans
Ankush - 30 Lakhs - Bengaluru Bulls
Deepak Rajender Singh - 86 Lakhs - Patna Pirates via two-season FBM
Yogesh Dahiya - 1.125 Crores - Bengaluru Bulls
Ashu Malik - 1.90 Crores - Dabang Delhi K.C. via two-season FBM
Arjun Deshwal - 1.405 Crores - Tamil Thalaivas
Devank Dalal - 2.205 Crores - Bengal Warriorz (Fifth most expensive player). (ANI)