There is a major update about the IPL 2024 auction! BCCI’s trusted auctioneer Hugh Edmeades who had undertaken the duty of conducting auctions from the 2018 season will now be replaced by Indian auctioneer Mallika Sagar for the upcoming auction. Earlier during the IPL 2022 mega auction, Edmeades collapsed in the middle of the auction proceeding due to poor health but resumed the duties on the next day. Initially, on the first day, he was replaced by Charu Sharma who did a splendid job in crises. Edmeades resumed the auctioneer duties in the IPL 2023 auction in Kochi as well & conducted the auctions without any hindrance. But there comes a major setback for Edmeades as he will now be replaced by an Indian auctioneer Mallika Sagar for the IPL 2024 auction.
IPL 2024 Auction: Who is auctioneer Mallika Sagar
Mallika Sagar is not a newbie in the auctioneer industry. She is a seasoned auctioneer just like Edmeades & will professionally replace him in the IPL 2024 auction. The BCCI has already informed Edmeades that his services will not be needed for the upcoming auction. The report further states that BCCI has reached out to Mallika Sagar with the proposal of conducting auction proceedings in the IPL 2024 auction on 19th December to be held in Dubai. But Mallika hasn’t confirmed anything whether she has accepted BCCI’s proposal or not.
Notably, Mallika was the auctioneer in the WPL 2023. And now again in the WPL 2024 auction, Sagar will conduct the duties of auctioneering. The WPL 2024 auctions will be held on the 9th of December in Mumbai. Mallika who is an auctioneer at Pundole in Mumbai commenced her career at Christie’s in 2001 after obtaining her art history degree from Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia. She became the first auctioneer of Indian origin & the first woman in an auctioneer role at Christie’s. She has undertaken auctions of big events such as Pro Kabaddi League in 2021.
Who is Hugh Edmeades
Edmeades has taken over as an Official auctioneer of IPL in 2018 replacing Richard Madley. In 2022 IPL’s Mega auction he suddenly got collapsed on the floor while auctioning in the Ballroom of Bengaluru Hotel. The moment the mishap happened Edmeades was immediately taken to the hospital where he was diagnosed with hypertension as the potential reason for collapse.
Edmeades specializes in fine art, classic cars, and charity auctions & has spent 38 years auctioning with Christie before starting his independent venture in 2016. Edmeades traveled to Jaipur in 2018 to conduct his first IPL auction. Overall he had conducted 2500 auctions before his first IPL assignment but all those assignments were not cricket.
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