The IPL 2024 mini-auction in Dubai threw up some staggering numbers, with Australia's World Cup winners clinching the most lucrative contracts in the history of the tournament.
Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc was the most sought after player, returning to the league after eight years. The all-format champion became the most expensive player ever in IPL, snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders for almost $3 million, edging ahead of his captain Pat Cummins who had earlier become the first cricketer to breach the 200 million rupee mark.
Given the small pool of players and sizeable purses available, some players attracted much bigger bids than they would have during the main auction, as the attention of franchises was trained on a handful of names.
What it means now is that the top four most expensive players in IPL are all overseas names. Here, we take a look at the most expensive players at next year's tournament.