ISPL Auction: Vijay Pawle becomes most expensive buy at Rs 32.50 lakh; franchises spend nearly Rs 10 crore | Cricket News

ISPL team owners and Core Committee members at the Auction for the third season. (Image: ISPL)

The Indian Street Premier League (ISPL), a tennis-ball T10 cricket tournament, conducted its Season 3 Player Auction in Mumbai on Tuesday (December 9), with eight franchises spending nearly Rs 10 crore on 144 players. The auction featured 408 players from 101 cities, with Falcons Risers Hyderabad emerging as the highest-spending team at Rs 1.47 crore.Vijay Pawle became the auction’s top pick, securing Rs 32.50 lakh from defending champions Majhi Mumbai, while Ketan Mhatre was retained by Chennai Singams for Rs 26.40 lakh using the Right to Match (RTM) card.

The league has welcomed two new teams – Ahmedabad Lions and Delhi Superheros – bringing the total to eight franchises. The tournament is scheduled for January 9 – February 6, 2026, at the Lalbhai Contractor Stadium in Surat.In the U-19 category, Ankit Yadav emerged as the most expensive young player, purchased by Tiigers of Kolkata for Rs 6.50 lakh. Sixteen-year-old Rudra Patil became the youngest player in Season 3, selected by Srinagar Ke Veer at Rs 3 lakh.The ISPL Auction attracted prominent figures from cricket and entertainment, including Core Committee members Sachin Tendulkar, Ashish Shelar, Minal Amol Kale, Suraj Samat, and Dipak Chauhan. Celebrity team owners present included Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan, and Salman Khan, among others.AS IT HAPPENED: ISPL Season 3 AUCTIONThe auction began with the unveiling of ‘Street Star,’ a humanoid innovation designed to enhance fan engagement in Season 3.“I started playing cricket because I was passionate. So, my advice to all the ISPL players is this: be yourself. Whatever you were yesterday, can you better yourself today? This is one such platform where you can go out, express yourself, and everyone is watching you and enjoying your talent. Climb the mountain so that you can see the world, not so that the world can see you,” said ISPL Core Committee member Sachin Tendulkar.“The ISPL was created to give promising talent a stage to shine, and it’s heartening to see lakhs of young players embracing the opportunity. We have built this platform with a professional, future-focused approach, and its impact is already visible. I am confident that ISPL will continue to grow from strength to strength and unlock even more potential across the country,” said Ashish Shelar, Core Committee Member, ISPL.ALSO READ: Which players were retained before ISPL Auction“The ISPL auction continues to be a career-defining moment for many talented cricketers. This league provides a much-needed platform for budding cricketers who otherwise may not get national exposure. We hope that every player selected this season makes the best use of this opportunity, works hard and moves one step closer to fulfilling their dreams through ISPL,” said Minal Amol Kale, Core Committee Member, ISPL.“This edition of the auction was among the most competitive we have seen so far. Franchises came in with clear strategies, and the use of Googly Power, RTM and retention added great depth to the proceedings. The squads are well-balanced, and we are confident that fans will witness a high-quality and entertaining season in Surat,” said Suraj Samat, Core Committee Member and League Commissioner, ISPL.The league announced that the Most Valuable Player of Season 3 will receive a Porsche 911, making it one of the most valuable individual awards in Indian sport.

ISPL franchises spent nearly Rs 10 crore on 144 players at the auction for Season 3. (Image: ISPL)

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