Ishant Sharma's fantastic bowling in Australia was rewarded with a lucrative Indian Premier League contract. The young Delhi speedster was purchased by Shah Rukh Khan's Kolkata team for an astonishing US $950,000 in the players' auction in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Sharma registered the fourth highest amount in the IPL auction after Mahendra Singh Dhoni (US $1.5m), Andrew Symonds (US $1.35m) and Sanath Jayasuriya (US $975,000).
The 19-year-old's base price started at 150,000 and was a hot favourite among all the bidders who went all out to capture the latest teen sensation; but it was Bollywood King Shah Rukh Khan, who had the last laugh.
R P Singh also generated a lot of interest among the bidders, before he was bought by the Hyderabad team for a massive US $875,000 against his base price of US $200,000.
The rest of the bowlers lagged a far behind and next among them was left-arm spinner Murali Kartik, who was taken by Kolkata for US $425,000, while young left-spinner Piyush Chawla went to Mohali for US $400,000.
Sri Lanka's pace ace Lasith Malinga was snapped up Mumbai for US $350,000; Mumbai also bought his compatriot, Dilhara Fernando, for US $150,000.
South Africa's fast bowler Dale Steyn was purchased by Vijay Mallya-owned Bangalore team for 325,000, but his team mate Makhaya Ntini didn't seem to impress the bidders as he went for his base price of 200,000.
Australia's left-armer Nathan Bracken added more strength to the Bangalore bowling attack after his purchase for 325,000.
Among the other Indian bowlers, Munaf Patel was bought by Jaipur for 275,000 and off-spinner Ramesh Powar by Mohali for 170,000. Pakistan medium pacer Umar Gul went for his base price of 150,000 to Kolkata, while Nuwan Zoysa registered a slight jump in base price to be sold to Hyderabad for 110,000.
Next in line will be the reserve players, who were not taken up the bidders during the eight rounds of bidding.
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