Dubai: All-rounder Harshal Patel went home richer as he was bought by Punjab Kings for a staggering Rs 11.75 crore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auction, which is underway here.
33-year-old Harshal Patel is a death overs specialist and he plays for Haryana in the domestic circuit. He had entered with a base price of Rs two crore. In the 2023 IPL season, Harshal took part in the T20 tournament with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). However, that campaign for difficult for Harshal as he managed to pick only 14 wickets. He was released by the RCB ahead of the IPL 2024 auction.
The right-arm pacer Harshal Patel is renowned for his slower deliveries in death overs which forms a crucial expectation in T20 matches. He got the nickname of 'Purple Patel' when he took 32 wickets in the Indian Premier League 2021 helping Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to qualify for playoffs.
Notably, former West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo and Harshal Patel hold the record for most wickets taken in a single IPL season. The 33-year-old has picked 89 wickets in 92 matches including a five-for and two four-fours averaging 24.1 at an economy of 8.58.
It was the Punjab Kings, who finally clinched the deal and they were happy with it. It was certainly a valuable buy for Punjab Kings, whose home ground is the Punjab Cricket Association in Mohali. They also play some of their home matches at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamshala. Punjab Kings have never won the IPL. During this auction, Harshal is the most expensive Indian player so far.
