Ever since the establishment of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008, the phenomenon of franchise cricket has grown around the world, with various cricketing associations setting up their own leagues.
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On Tuesday, the player auction for the fifth season of the Lanka Premier League took place in Colombo. The season is set to begin on July 4, after the T20 World Cup. The biggest winner on the day was young fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, who joined Colombo Strikers for a league-record $120,000.
Did Babar Azam go unsold in LPL 2024? Why Pakistan captain won't play in Lanka Premier League this year
Several prominent overseas names went unsold in the auction, as the likes of Lungi Ngidi, Martin Guptill and Mujeeb-ur-Rehman went unsold. Pakistani players have often been in demand in the league, and Azam Khan, Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammed Hasnain all found new homes.
MORE: Five overseas players to watch out for in IPL 2024
However, star player Babar Azam was conspicuous through his absence. Information began to spread on social media that the Pakistan T20 captain had gone unsold, but in fact Babar had not registered himself for the auction.
Last season, he had been signed before the auction by Colombo Strikers, and played eight matches for them. However, he pulled out of the auction this year perhaps in order to get some time off. Babar has been in action almost continuously throughout 2024 for Pakistan and in the Pakistan Super League. After a gruelling T20 World Cup, it is understandable that he might want some time to rest.
| Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | High Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 261 | 32.6 | 132.5 | 104 |
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