File image of Atharva Ankolekar© X (Twitter)
All-rounder Atharva Ankolekar emerged the costliest buy as the T20 Mumbai League 2025 auction witnessed intense bidding wars in Mumbai on Wednesday, as eight teams spent Rs 7.79 crores to build highly competitive 18-member squads. The T20 Mumbai League, one of India’s leading franchise-based domestic T20 tournaments, is all set for a highly anticipated third season, scheduled to be played at the Wankhede Stadium from May 26 to June 8. Around 280 players went under the hammer as each team came up with a strategic approach to assemble a balanced squad comprising of a mix of young upcoming talent and experienced campaigners.
The spotlight was on all-rounders, with 24-year-old Ankolekar securing the highest bid of the auction, to join Eagle Thane Strikers for Rs 16.25 lakh. During the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final 2024, Ankolekar had played a significant role in Mumbai’s victory. Musheer Khan, a member of the Punjab Kings squad, and Sairaj Patil were the other all-rounders who attracted mega deals of Rs 15 lakh each. Musheer went to ARCS Andheri, while Sairaj was signed by Eagle Thane Strikers.
Rising stars from IPL 2025, Ayush Mhatre and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, were picked up by Triumph Knights Mumbai North East and SoBo Mumbai Falcons for Rs 14.75 lakh and Rs 14 lakh respectively. Akash Parkar was the highlight from the ‘Development Players’ category as the all-rounder fetched more than five times his base price (2 lakh) to find a place in SoBo Mumbai Falcons for an impressive Rs 11.25 lakh.
“It’s truly encouraging to see emerging players gaining the recognition they deserve. This league continues to serve as a platform to identify and promote promising cricketing talent. The strategic approach of teams during today’s auction reflects their deep commitment to the league and its vision. With a balanced mix of experienced players and exciting talent, fans can look forward to high-voltage action as we aim to set a new benchmark for domestic T20 cricket,” commented MCA President Ajinkya Naik.
India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, who is also an Icon Player of Triumph Knights Mumbai North East, also attended the auction and spoke about the league’s role as a stepping stone for young cricketers. “You must have seen in 2018, Shivam Dubey had a terrific T20 Mumbai League season and then he went on to make a name for himself. Similarly, having such league for your state is I think a big boost for all the cricketers across categories. So I think it’s a good thing and hopefully it [the league] happens every year and we get a lot of players,” said Suryakumar Yadav.
Expressing his happiness after becoming the most expensive buy in the auction, Ankolekar said: “I’m truly excited to play in the T20 Mumbai League and join Eagle Thane Strikers. It’s a big moment for me, and I’m grateful for the trust the team has placed in me. I’m looking forward to sharing the field with players like Shardul Thakur. A big thank you to the MCA for bringing this league back-it’s a fantastic platform for Mumbai cricketers. My focus is now to make the most of this opportunity in my debut season and contribute to the team’s success.”
The league also features a star-studded line-up of icon players which includes Suryakumar Yadav (Triumph Knights Mumbai North East), Ajinkya Rahane (Bandra Blasters), Shreyas Iyer (SoBo Mumbai Falcons), Prithvi Shaw (North Mumbai Panthers), Shivam Dube (ARCS Andheri), Shardul Thakur (Eagle Thane Strikers), Sarfaraz Khan (Aakash Tigers Mumbai Western Suburbs) and Tushar Deshpande (Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals).
Top buys
Atharva Ankolekar (Rs 16.25 lakh) – Eagle Thane Strikers
Musheer Khan (Rs 15 lakh) – ARCS Andheri
Sairaj Patil (Rs 15 lakh) – Eagle Thane Strikers
Ayush Mhatre (Rs 14.75 lakh) – Triumph Knights Mumbai North East
Angkrish Raghuvanshi (Rs 14 lakh) – SoBo Mumbai Falcons
Shams Mulani (Rs 14 lakh) – Aakash Tigers Mumbai Western Suburbs
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