WATCH – Punjab Kings buy ‘Wrong Player’ at IPL 2024 Auction, check what happened next

In an unexpected twist during the 2024 IPL Auction, Punjab Kings (PBKS) became entangled in a mix-up, accidentally acquiring Shashank Singh. The confusion arose in the accelerated bidding phase when Shashank’s name was announced, prompting auctioneer Mallika Sagar to initiate the bid. Hailing from Chhattisgarh and having been associated with Sunrisers Hyderabad previously, the uncapped 32-year-old went unsold in the preceding auction.

PBKS being the only team that bid for Shashank, unintentionally acquired his services for IPL 2024. However, shortly after the hammer sealed the deal, team owners Ness Wadia and Preity Zinta recognized the mistake and acknowledged that they had mistaken Shashank for another player. Despite their efforts to correct the error, Mallika Sagar maintained her stance, stating that once the hammer falls, the decision is final.

Despite Wadia and Zinta’s attempts to re-enter Shashank into the auction according to regulations prevented reversals once the hammer confirmed the purchase. Shashank has an impressive T20 record, featuring in 55 matches and accumulating 724 runs at a strike rate of 135.83, along with taking 15 wickets. Notably, the team’s highest-priced acquisition was Harshal Patel, secured for INR 11.75 crore.

Watch the video here:

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. #IPLAuction #pbks pic.twitter.com/PtLQv9t07H

— Punjab Kings UK🇬🇧👑 (@PunjabKingsUK) December 19, 2023

PBKS bought eight players at IPL 2024 auction

PBKS showcased their ambitions for the upcoming IPL season with significant acquisitions in the IPL 2024 Auction on Tuesday. The franchise successfully obtained the services of all-rounder Harshal Patel, the holder of the purple cap in the 2020 edition, for a substantial INR 11.75 crore, surpassing his base price of ₹2 crore.

In addition, PBKS chose to enlist English pacer Chris Woakes, acquiring him for ₹4.2 crore, surpassing his base price of ₹2 crore. Sanjay Bangar in a conversation with ESPNcricinfo provided insights into PBKS’ rationale for bringing Woakes on board, highlighting the potential pivotal roles both Woakes and Harshal could play in their lineup in the upcoming season.

PBKS Full squad: Shikhar Dhawan, Matthew Short, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Sikandar Raza, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Shivam Singh, Harshal Patel, Chris Woakes, Ashutosh Sharma, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Shashank Singh, Tanay Thyagarajann, Prince Choudhary, Rilee Rossouw.