Robin Uthappa emerged the costliest player in the Karnataka Premier League after inviting a bid of Rs 325,000 from Bangalore Brigadiers in the auction for Twenty20 tournament, starting in Bangalore next month.
As many as 48 Karnataka players went under the hammer as the eight franchisees of the September 9-23 event, to be staged in Bangalore and Mysore, participated in the bidding process.
The Karnataka State Cricket Association had kept an upper limit of Rs 700,000 for six chosen players by each franchisee.
Stuart Binny was picked by Gulbarga team (Bijapur Bulls) for Rs 320,000, B Akhil was taken on board by Bangalore Rural for Rs 300,000, while veteran Sunil Joshi pocketed Rs 205,000 thanks to the Hubli-Dharwad team (Shamanur Davangere Diamonds).
Former India cricketer David Johnson went for a mere Rs 35,000 and will now play for the Belgaum team (Belagavi Panthers).
The KPL lost some of its sheen after the Board of Control for Cricket in India denied participation of out-of-state players in the tournament, making it only a state affair.
KPL promoters were hoping to fill three slots in each team with outstation players and, in fact, were looking to rope in some big names of Indian cricket, at least for a couple of matches, to draw in the crowds.
