Amended rules allow Saudi secondary school graduates with a diploma to work as assistant teachers    Insurgents seize key parts of Aleppo as Syrian government troops redeploy    Benzema shines as Al-Ittihad thrashes Al-Ettifaq 4-0 to cement top spot    King Salman transforms King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital into independent non-profit organization under RCRC    Saudi Arabia's FIFA World Cup 2034 bid sets historic benchmark in FIFA evaluation    CEDA highlights advancement of major projects and programs under Vision 2030    Saudi commitment to pragmatic solutions towards a greener future is reemphasized as SGI Forum set to kick off on Tuesday    Vietnam approves $67 billion high-speed railway linking Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City    Poland fortifies eastern border with military project    Three crushed to death in Gaza bakery crowd amid worsening food crisis    Australia bans children under 16 from social media in groundbreaking legislation    Driving the future: How public transportation is transforming Saudi Arabia    Canadian news publishers sue OpenAI over alleged copyright infringement    Mahrez's strike secures Al-Ahli a narrow win over Al-Wehda    FIFA announces nominees for The Best FIFA Football Awards 2024    Riyadh Metro: An enduring legacy of King Salman's leadership and vision for Riyadh's future    K-Pop group NewJeans split from agency in mistreatment row    Culture minister visits Diriyah Art Futures    Best-selling novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford dies    Adele doesn't know when she'll perform again after tearful Vegas goodbye    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Watson top draw at IPL auction
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 07 - 02 - 2016

BANGALORE — Australian all-rounder Shane Watson received the highest bid of $1.4 million while banished England star Kevin Pietersen was sold to a new franchise at a glitzy Indian Premier League auction Saturday.
Watson lived up to his billing as one of the most sought-after players, being sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for 95 million rupees ($1.4 million) at an auction attended by business big-wigs and former stars including ex-Australian skipper Ricky Ponting.
Thirty-four-year-old Watson, who remains one of the top players in Twenty20 cricket, was sold for more than four times his reserve price in the first round of marquee bidding in the southern Indian city of Bangalore.
"Incredibly excited to join RCB. Can't wait to meet up with my new teammates in April," Watson tweeted.
Bangalore director Amrit Thomas said the addition of a utility player like Watson would make his team more competitive.
"We were looking for Shane Watson to get the balance right in the team and finally we got him at the bargain price," Thomas was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India.
Pietersen was bought for $515,000 by Rising Pune Supergiants, one of the two new teams in this year's tournament that will be played from April 9 to May 29 across various Indian cities.
The out-of-favour batsman last played for England in 2014 but proved his worth in the recent Big Bash League with the Melbourne Stars.
The Gujarat Lions, based in the western city of Rajkot, are the other new IPL entrant following the two-year suspension of the Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings over a corruption scandal.
India's Yuvraj Singh was sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for $1.03 million, a far cry from the $2.3 million that he commanded at last year's auction.
South Africa's Chris Morris was picked for a surprise $1 million Saturday, 14 times his base price after the Mumbai Indians and Knight Riders went neck and neck, only for the Delhi Daredevils to grab him in the end.
Aaron Finch, Australia's injured T20 captain, and in-form New Zealand batsman Martin Guptill went unsold.
South African speedster Dale Steyn, laid low by injuries, was the last man to be auctioned in the first round at $500,000.
Many of India's uncapped players were sold much above their base prices, including left-arm spinner Pawan Negi who was snapped up for a whopping $1.2 million by Delhi.


Clic here to read the story from its source.