PKL 12 Auction: Mohammadreza Shadloui signed by Gujarat Giants as first pick for 2.23 Cr

Mohammadreza Shadloui was awarded PKL 11 MVP.

Mohammadreza Shadloui broke the bank once again as Gujarat Giants shelled out 2.23 cr at the Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 (PKL 12) auction, which was more than 50% of their remaining purse to get his services. There was an aura and expectation for Shadloui to earn big bucks. The bidding lived up to the expectation as many teams fought the champion all-rounder who has broken multiple records. Telugu Titans started the bidding at the base price of 30 lakhs.

The Gujarat Giants were quick to raise the stakes, making Mohammadreza Shadloui’s bid at 1 cr straight away. It was no surprise as teams continued to bid more for the all-rounder. Gujarat, with one of the biggest purses for the auction day, didn’t shy away from spending big as they raised the bid to 1.25 cr. Three-time champions Patna Pirates joined the battle, increasing it to 1.5 cr. BC Ramesh and Bengaluru Bulls joined the party as they battled for the all-rounder for a while.

The Pirates tried to live up to their name by trying to steal the Iranian as they raised the bid to 1.7 cr. The tension in the room was palpable as both Bulls and Pirates weren’t ready to give up on the two-time defending champion. In no time, the bid moved to 2 cr, and everyone was waiting to see the next team jumping in to snatch away Shadloui, much like he does on the Kabaddi mat.

The 2 cr mark also confirmed the fact that Haryana Steelers might not be able to use the FBM card as their purse was 2.46 cr only. The bid slowed down a bit as the intensity of the discussion increased with both the Bulls and the Pirates. As the Pirates backed out, Gujarat Giants entered the war with the Bulls. The Giants were firm in getting him and snatched him at a whopping price of 2.23 cr.

It is the start of a new journey and the fans would be hoping for another great season.

Mohammadreza Shadloui’s impressive record in PKL

Mohammadreza Shadloui has a Stellar Pro Kabaddi League record, dominating in the last four seasons. He started his career with the three-time Patna Pirates in season eight. He topped the defenders’ chart with 89 points, taking his team to the finals. It was a closely fought final with the Pirates falling short by just one point.

He started his journey in the record books by scoring the most successful tackles (86) in his debut season. He was awarded the defender of the season award as well. He was retained ahead of the next season for the next season. He repeated his heroics with 84 points, but his team couldn’t make it to the playoffs.

Two-time defending PKL Champion

Mohammadreza Shadloui was released, and he broke the bank at 2.35 cr, becoming the most expensive overseas player in the history of the league. He repaid the faith invested in him for the Puneri Paltan, leading them to their maiden PKL title. He scored a whopping 99 tackle points, including 11 High 5s, which troubled most raiders on the mat.

Mohammadreza Shadloui displayed his raiding prowess, scoring crucial points, and was recognised as the Most Valuable Player for the season. This was enough to convince Manpreet Singh at Haryana Steelers, who spent 2.07 cr to get the Showstopper in their lineup. The all-rounder took his performance to the next level, especially in the raiding department, scoring 59 points.

Mohammadreza Shadloui scored a tremendous 139 points, not only defending his PKL title but also successfully defending the Most Valuable Player award. He will again be the player with the spotlight on. It will be interesting to see what new the Iranian can bring to the mat for season 12, especially the Gujarat fans, who want to see their team lift the title.

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