Dubai, Dec 19 (IANS): Australia World Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins became the most expensive player in Indian Premier League (IPL) history after Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) secured his services for whooping Rs 20.5 crore during the second round of the IPL 2024 mini-auction, here on Tuesday.

Following an intense bidding battle involving Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad eventually secured the Australian captain for a record-breaking amount.

Starting with a base price of Rs. 2.00 crore, Cummins became the center of a bidding war between IPL heavyweights CSK and Mumbai Indians. The fierce battle escalated the bid to 4.8 crore, led by CSK. Soon after, Royal Challengers Bangalore entered the fray with a bid of Rs. 5.00 Cr, joining Chennai and Mumbai in the pursuit.

Sunrisers also stepped up, placing a bid at Rs. 8.00 Cr, marking Cummins as the day's first millionaire. The bidding war intensified between SRH and RCB, with both pushing the bids to Rs. 12.00 Cr.

As the bids surpassed the 15-crore mark, the competition heated up, prompting SRH to elevate their offer to 17 crore. Crossing the Rs 18.5 crore mark, Cummins claimed the title of the IPL's priciest player in history, surpassing Sam Curran's record sale of Rs 18.50 crore in the 2023 auction.

Yet, the competition remained tight with RCB pushing the bid to Rs. 19.25 Cr. Eventually, SRH surged ahead, reaching Rs. 20 Cr. The bidding war escalated further to Rs. 20.50 Cr, securing Pat Cummins for the team. This marked the inaugural breach of the 20-crore barrier in an IPL auction.