KOLKATA: At a time when West Bengal is witnessing some of the largest protests among thoise that have erupted across the country against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 auction will go ahead as planned in the state capital.
Even as reports of violence have emerged from various parts of Bengal with minor protests being organized in Kolkata as well, according to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the auction, to be held on December 19 from 2:30 PM, “are on”.
“As of Monday evening, IPL auctions are on. Franchises will start arriving by tomorrow evening and Wednesday morning,” a senior BCCI official told PTI.
Of the 997 cricketers who had registered for the upcoming auction, 332 have been selected. Among the players who will go under the hammers, 186 are Indians and 143 are from different overseas countries. There will be 3 cricketers from the Associate Nations as well.
Australia, with 35 players in the shortlisted candidates, will have the highest representation after India. They will be followed by South Africa with 23 players, 22 from England, 19 from the West Indies, 18 from New Zealand, 14 from Sri Lanka and five from Bangladesh.
The United States of America (USA) pacer Ali Khan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) pacer Zahoor Khan and Scotland’s George Munsey are the three cricketers from Associate Nations.
