PKL Season 12 Auction: Key Retentions & Fresh Talents Up for Grabs

The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) unveiled its list of retained players ahead of the much-anticipated Season 12 auction, slated for May 31 and June 1 in Mumbai. The announcement features three categories: Elite Retained Players, Retained Young Players, and New Young Players. With franchises working diligently to secure strong lineups, the auction promises a thrilling turn of events.

Among the key players retained are Sunil Kumar and Amirmohammad Zafardanesh of U Mumba, Jaideep Dahiya from Haryana Steelers, Surender Gill of UP Yoddhas, and the dynamic duo of Aslam Inamdar and Mohit Goyat from Puneri Paltan. In total, 83 players were retained across three categories, with 25 in the Elite, 23 in the Retained Young, and 35 in the New Young categories.

The auction will see over 500 players, including notable figures such as Pawan Sehrawat and Iranian stars Fazel Atrachali, step into the bidding stage. Significantly, Naveen Kumar, Dabang Delhi K.C.'s star raider, will be auctioned for the first time after amassing 1102 Raid Points with a single team. The auction categorizes players into All-Rounders, Defenders, and Raiders within four pricing tiers, with base prices ranging from INR 9 Lakh to INR 30 Lakh. Each franchise's total salary purse for assembling their squad will be INR 5 Crore.

(With inputs from agencies.)