Star raider Pawan Kumar Sehrawat has scripted history by becoming the most expensive buy in the Pro Kabaddi League history, ahead of the beginning of the season 10.

Pawan smashed his own record after he was bought by Telugu Titans for a whopping sum of Rs 2.6 crore on the opening day of Mashal Sports-organised Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 10 Player Auction held in Mumbai on Monday night.

On the other hand, Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh emerged as the most expensive foreign player at the PKL Auction, being bought for a whopping Rs 2.35 by Puneri Paltan.

Maninder Singh returned to Bengal Warriors after the franchise utilized the FBM card to match Telugu Titans’ bid of INR 2.12 crore.

Meanwhile, Iranian kabaddi legend Fazel Atrachali crossed the 1 crore mark once again after he was acquired by Gujarat Giants for Rs 1.6 crore. He also retained his record for the most expensive defender in PKL history. Atrachali’s compatriot Mohammad Esmaeil Nabibakhsh was bought by the Giants for Rs 22 lakh.

This Player Auction also witnessed a jump in the 1 crore club from four players in the last Player Auction to five players. Pawan Sehrawat, Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh, Maninder Singh, Fazel Atrachali and Siddharth Desai were part of the 1 crore club in today’s Player Auction.

A total of 23 players were sold to the 12 franchise teams with as many as 6 Final Bid Match (FBM) cards being used on Day 1.

“It was an exceptional day at the Pro Kabaddi League Player Auction as we witnessed five players cross the 1 crore mark. It was extremely thrilling to see Pawan reclaim his record for being the highest-ever buy after Shadloui had broken his previously held record earlier in the day.

There’s more action to come on Day 2 and hopefully, all franchises will be able to construct well-balanced squads for Season 10,” said Anupam Goswami, Head Sports Leagues, Mashal Sports and League Commissioner, Pro Kabaddi League.