Cricket world to go under IPL hammer

The world?s 350 best cricketers will go under the DLF IPL hammer at the ITC Royal Gardenia Hotel, Bengaluru on January 8-9.

This sets the stage for Indian Premier League (IPL) 2011.

As previously announced, a total of twelve players have been retained by five franchises in advance of the auction, as per the IPL player regulations.

A host of stars will be available at the auction. Eleven of the twelve batsmen to have scored centuries in the IPL will be featured, including the 2010 ICC ODI player of the year AB de Villiers and IPL?s quickest centurion Yusuf Pathan.

In the bowling department the teams need look no further than the IPL?s leading wicket-taker, RP Singh (38 wickets, IPL 2009 Purple Cap winner) to lead their attack.

Other established IPL performers available at the auction include current Indian team members Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra and Yuvraj Singh.

The Auction proceedings will be under the control of Richard Madley, a professional auctioneer from England who has conducted each of the previous IPL player auctions. The proceedings will be broadcast live by IPL Indian broadcaster Sony Set Max.

Chirayu Amin, Chairman of IPL, confirming the auction dates and venue said: ?The DLF IPL auction is indeed a very exciting prospect! I am confident that IPL fans throughout India and across the world will be paying very close attention to which of the world?s best cricketers will be wearing their teams colours for the next IPL season.?

The opening match of IPL 2011 will take place on 8th April 2011 in Chennai.

Out of the initial 421 cricketers who had expressed an interest to participate in the auction, a short list of 350 cricketers has been produced by the various IPL franchises.

The participation of the Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab franchises in the auction is subject to court orders.