IPL Auction: Who is Mallika Sagar?

Mallika Sagar will be the mistress of ceremonies at Tuesday's Indian Premier League 2024 auction in Dubai.

This is the first time in the IPL's 16-year history that a lady auctioneer will preside over proceedings at an IPL auction.

Richard Madley, Charu Sharma and Hugh Edmeades were the gavel bangers at previous IPL auctions.

A Mumbai-based art expert on contemporary Indian art, Mallika currently works with Art India. Her career started at Christie's in 2001 when she became the first woman auctioneer of Indian origin at the British auction house.

She conducted the auction for the Pro Kabaddi League 2021 and helmed the Women's Premier League auction in Mumbai on December 9.

Mallika has been the BCCI's chosen auctioneer for the WPL auctions since the league's inception.

'Bold, Confident and Well Prepared! We thank Mallika Sagar for conducting the #WPLAuction with such grace and style. #PlayBold #WPL2023,' Royal Challengers Bangalore had tweeted on X after the WPL auction.

'MALLIKA SAGAR is a terrific auctioneer. Confident, clear and very poised. Straight away the right choices in the WPL,' Dinesh Karthik applauded. 'Well done @BCCI #WPLAuction #WPL2023'.