ISPL season 3 mega auction sets new milestone; two Kashmiri players earn 3 Lakh contracts
Srinagar, Dec 10 (KINS): The Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) Season 3 Mega Auction delivered a high-voltage day of bidding in Mumbai, setting a new benchmark with nearly ₹10 crore spent on 144 players. The expanded eight-team league witnessed fierce competition as franchises battled for top talent ahead of the 2026 season.
In a proud moment for Jammu & Kashmir, two young Kashmiri cricketers—Shahid Mir from Tangmarg and Majid Yousuf Sheikh from Qazigund—secured ₹3 lakh contracts each. Mir was picked by Bengaluru Strikers, while Sheikh earned a spot with the newly added Ahmedabad Lions.
The biggest headline of the auction came from Vijay Pawle, who created history by becoming the highest-paid player in ISPL’s journey. Defending champions Majhi Mumbai snapped him up for a record ₹32.50 lakh. Ketan Mhatre followed as the second-costliest pick, retained by Chennai Singams using the Right to Match (RTM) card for ₹26.40 lakh.
With Ahmedabad Lions and Delhi Superheros joining the league, Season 3 is expected to be ISPL’s most competitive edition. The tournament is scheduled from January 9 to February 6, 2026, at Lalbhai Contractor Stadium, Surat, with tickets to be released soon on BookMyShow.
The auction showcased ISPL’s fast-growing influence, featuring 408 players from 101 cities. The high-profile event saw strong participation from cricket and entertainment icons, including Sachin Tendulkar, Ashish Shelar, Minal Amol Kale, Suraj Samat and Dipak Chauhan from the ISPL Core Committee. Celebrity team owners such as Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Ajay Devgn, Salman Khan, and others added glamour to the proceedings.
The day began with the unveiling of ‘Street Star’, a humanoid innovation aimed at enhancing fan engagement during the season.
In the U-19 category, spirited bidding saw Ankit Yadav become the costliest youngster at ₹6.50 lakh, bought by Tiigers of Kolkata. Rudra Patil, just 16, became the youngest player of the season, picked by Srinagar Ke Veer at his base price of ₹3 lakh.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar encouraged young players to stay true to their passion, urging them to push their limits every day. Ashish Shelar highlighted ISPL’s mission to provide a professional platform for emerging talent, while Minal Amol Kale called the auction a career-changing moment for many players. League Commissioner Suraj Samat described this year’s auction as the most competitive yet, praising the strategic approach of franchises.
With the league now expanded to eight star-studded teams and the MVP award upgraded to a Porsche 911, ISPL Season 3 is set to deliver high-quality cricketing entertainment and unprecedented opportunities for street-cricket talent across India.(KINS)
