Punjab Kings trolled after IPL 2024 auction blunder as team accidentally purchases 'wrong' Shashank Singh

By Sunita Iyer | First Published Dec 20, 2023, 4:27 PM IST

Punjab Kings mistakenly acquired uncapped Indian player Shashank Singh at a base price of Rs 20 lakh during the IPL 2024 auction held in Dubai on Tuesday, only to realize their error after the auctioneer had completed the bid.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auction, held in Dubai on Tuesday, witnessed an unexpected twist as Punjab Kings (PBKS) found themselves entangled in a major blunder. In a surprising turn of events, the team accidentally purchased the 'wrong player,' creating a unique moment that highlighted the challenges and pressure faced by teams in the fast-paced bidding environment.

Also read: Revealed: Why Mumbai Indians took 'tough' decision to replace Rohit Sharma with Hardik Pandya as captain

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The confusion unfolded during the accelerated round of the auction when the auctioneer, Mallika Sagar, announced the name of Shashank Singh, a 32-year-old batting all-rounder representing Chhattisgarh in domestic cricket. Despite being an uncapped Indian player, Shashank Singh found himself at the center of an unexpected bidding war.

Fantastic scenes here as the notoriously inept Punjab Kings manage to not only purchase a player they didn’t want, (Shashank Singh), they also admit to this in front of literally everyone. Singh we can guess is sat at home wondering whether to show up in March. pic.twitter.com/PtLQv9t07H

— Punjab Kings UK🇬🇧👑 (@PunjabKingsUK)

PBKS co-owner Preity Zinta, after a brief discussion with her team members, raised the paddle and secured Shashank's purchase. However, the mix-up became apparent as the auction moved on to the next set of players. PBKS realized their mistake and informed the auctioneer that they had confused Shashank for another player.

In an attempt to rectify the error, PBKS owners Ness Wadia and Preity Zinta expressed their desire to re-enter Shashank into the auction. However, IPL auction regulations proved to be unforgiving in such situations. Once the hammer confirms a purchase, the transaction is finalized and cannot be reversed.

But by mistake they have picked the right Shashank singh who can hit the ball very well out of the park. singh pic.twitter.com/wdKGhhtOIu

— Vinay Anand (@VinayAn95800398)

The unintended purchase of the 'wrong player' became a noteworthy moment during the IPL 2024 auction proceedings. The incident shed light on the intense pressure and rapid decision-making that teams face as they navigate through the bidding process. Despite the best intentions of the PBKS owners to correct the error, the stringent rules governing the auction prevented any reversal.

Also read: Which is the strongest team in IPL 2024? Cricket fans rate franchises after exciting auction

The incident with Shashank Singh underscores the challenges that IPL teams encounter during the auction. With limited time to make decisions, teams must carefully evaluate players and execute bids swiftly. The mix-up with Shashank highlights how even experienced owners and franchises can find themselves in unexpected situations, emphasizing the need for precision and clarity in the auction process.

Punjab Kings and Preity Zinta were heavily trolled following this goof-up. Here's a look at some of the reactions on X:

Classic Punjab moment, not surprised.

— Neon Man (@NeonMan_01)

Ness wadia has been embarrassing him and all of us since 2008 😭

— Aarushi Joshi (@Aarushijoshii)

My biggest Surprise from Punjab table yesterday was how did they managed to have Ness wadia and Preity in the same table together 🧐 https://t.co/Id7dr19BXC

— Pratheep (@208of149)

Guys, my team was already doomed so expected nothing from them 😌 https://t.co/JyTqHmzx7P

— 🇮🇳🇷🇺Shubham Kumar #PUTIN_WILL_RULE_THE_WORLD (@ShubhamLove0)

Destiny is all. https://t.co/ix3BigvES3

— Parag Bhandari (@Paragbhandari1)

https://t.co/cH2Ui20Aoz pic.twitter.com/YMjceSwiaf

— MarxXman (@themarxxman)

19 year old Shashank Singh pic.twitter.com/KXirVRqAKS

— 🧑‍💻 (@Sean_FCG)

Shashank singh saying "all thanks to pbks management for trusting my abilities" bro i feel so bad 😭 i hope he gets to play and performs

— Jitesh Sharma's vakeel (@neelakhoon)

A comedy of errors during the Auction Yesterday! 😶 pic.twitter.com/fjEj1kmeL0