Saudi Arabia is hosting this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) player auction, marking a significant collaboration between the high-profile cricket tournament, which continues to expand its global presence, and the kingdom, which is using sports as a tool to enhance its international image.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler, has strongly supported lavish sports investments. These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to diversify the country’s oil-dependent economy, with the ultimate goal of Saudi Arabia hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2034.
However, critics highlight the kingdom’s human rights record, including the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, accusing Saudi Arabia of using sports to distract from these issues, a practice known as “sportswashing.”
The two-day IPL player auction, which begins Sunday in Jeddah, marks the first major cricketing event of its kind to be hosted in Saudi Arabia. The country, home to millions of South Asian migrant workers, has a relatively underserved fanbase for the sport.
Prince Saud bin Mishal, chairman of the Saudi Cricket Federation, stated that hosting the IPL auction demonstrates the kingdom’s "commitment to developing the sport and showcasing its position as a global destination for sporting events."
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a professor at Rice University, told AFP that Saudi Arabia’s significant investments in sporting events have helped "promote the narrative of a changing kingdom." He added, “To the extent that there is now a buzz associated with Saudi Arabia in football and in boxing, the spending has succeeded in changing the subject.”
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has attracted top football stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar to its league, while also hosting high-profile events such as world championship boxing, Formula One racing, tennis, and golf.
Both Visit Saudi, the kingdom's state tourism agency, and Saudi Aramco, the state-owned energy giant, have served as IPL sponsors.
Cricket already has a following in Saudi Arabia, particularly among expatriate workers. According to the 2022 census, non-Saudi nationals make up over 13 million of Saudi Arabia’s 32.2 million population, with more than 40 percent hailing from cricket-loving countries such as Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.
The kingdom's cricket federation is also working to grow the sport’s popularity among Saudis, launching a program to introduce cricket in schools. "There is a general perception that it’s a street game," said Kabir Khan, the federation's head coach, in an interview with English-language daily Arab News in August. "We need to change that perception."
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not required to disclose its financial details, and the terms of the agreement for Jeddah to host the IPL auction have not been made public. However, the IPL has generated billions in revenue since its launch in 2008, transforming the BCCI into one of the wealthiest governing bodies in sports.
Two years ago, the BCCI sold the broadcast rights for five IPL seasons to global media giants for $6.2 billion. The league’s player auctions attract millions of viewers eager to see which top stars will join the teams, and the BCCI has sought to increase the tournament’s global profile by holding the event abroad.
Last year, the auction took place in Dubai, a regular host of international cricket tournaments with a significant base of potential fans from its migrant worker population.
Veteran Indian cricket journalist Ayaz Memon told AFP that holding this year’s auction in Saudi Arabia benefits both the kingdom and the BCCI. “Saudi authorities have been very keen on promoting sports in their own country […] and you get to expand the horizons of the IPL in the sense of creating more awareness for the sport,” he said.
A total of 574 players are available in this year’s IPL auction, with prominent names like Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, England veteran James Anderson, and New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra among the top contenders.
Australian pacer Mitchell Starc set an auction record during the last event when he signed with Kolkata Knight Riders for $2.98 million. With an incremental increase in the tournament's salary cap, Starc's price is expected to be surpassed in the upcoming auction.
"Just as always you will find certain players breaking records," said Karan Taurani, a media analyst at Mumbai-based advisory firm Elara Capital, in an interview with AFP.
While many high-profile names are in the mix, Taurani noted that a significant number of players in the auction are promising young talents at the beginning of their careers, with the IPL offering their first major opportunity for a lucrative contract. "There are not too many players who have got more than two to three years of international experience," he added. "Those players will see a big jump in terms of compensation."
Although the dates for next year’s IPL season have yet to be announced, the tournament typically runs from March to May.
(Source: DAWN)
BD-Pratidin English/Mazdud
