IPL 2024 Auction: Who Is Mallika Sagar? The First Woman Auctioneer In History Of IPL, Who Started Her Career At Christie's

Mallika Sagar replaces Hugh Edmeades as the IPL auctioneer for the 2024 season. She is a world renowned auctioneer, who has donned the same role previously in WPL and PKL.

Mallika Sagar. (Image: Instagram)

It is the big day in Indian Premier League. Before the games begin in March next year, the other big game happens in the bidding room. IPL 2024 Auction is here and expect intense war happening between franchises over some big players who are up for grabs. A lot of firsts at IPL 2024 Auction. This is the first time that the auction is taking place outside India. Dubai has been chosen as the venue for the auction. This is also the first time that IPL has decided to include a female auctioneer to look over the the proceedings. 

Renowned auctioneer Mallika Sagar will be the person in charge of the auction. She has replaced Hugh Edmeades as the auctioneer of IPL. He is the same auctioneer who had collapsed on the stage while the IPL 2022 mega auction was one and was replaced by Charu Sharma. Edmeades had replaced Richard Madley, who was the first auctioneer in IPL. 

IPL 2024 Auction will be a historic moment in that regard. Mallika Sagar has previously played the role of an auctioneer at Women's Premier League (WPL)'s first two auctions. She has also been the auctioneer at Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). This Tuesday, she becomes the first female auctioneer in IPL auction.

Who Is Mallika Sagar?

Mallika has her roots in India but she studied abroad. She got her majors in Art History at Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia and began her professional career at Christie's, which is an international and reputed auction house in New York. When she joined Christie's, she became the first female auctioneer from India for them. 

As told before, IPL 2024 auction is not the first venture into sports auctions for Mallika. She has done PKL and WPL auctions before.

India's new favourite auctioneer! __

Mallika Sagar continues to blaze the way, and will be the auctioneer at the #IPL2024Auction. _#SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings #JazbaHaiPunjabi pic.twitter.com/tlHLo0EtED — Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) December 18, 2023

Mallika, 48, has rich experience as an auctioneer. She has over 25 years of experience in this field and December 19 will definitely be a big day in her life.

Edmeades, the previous auctioneer, seems to have been overlooked by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) because of his health conditions. However, there is no explanation given why Edmeades is not doing IPL 2024 auction. Edmeades had collapsed on the floor in IPL 2022 mega auction due to 'postural hypotension'.

IPL 2024 Auction begins on December 19 at 1 pm IST. The auction can be watched on TV on Star Sports and you can live streaming on Jio Cinema app and its website.