In the most shocking incident of the ongoing Day 1 of IPL 2022’s Mega Auction, Auctioneer Hugh Edmeades fainted and fell off his stage in the middle of the event, concerning every spectator and the people present in the hall. He was immediately provided Medical assistance and Star Sports India has updated that he is in stable condition now.
Hugh Edmeades has been the official auctioneer at IPL’s auctions ever since 2018 when he replaced Richard Madley for the position. He has conducted over 2500 big auctions in his career and is quite famous for his work.
Who Is Hugh Edmeades ?
The British auctioneer is very popular among the fine art, classic cars, and charity auction circuit. His total auction conductions have been worth a combined amount of about 2.7 Billion Pounds, The most famous items that he has sold to date at auctions are 88 guitars that belonged to Eric Clapton, Daniel Craig’s Aston Martin DB10 from James Bond’s Spectre movie and he was also the auctioneer at Nelson Mandela’s famous birthday Gala for his 90th birthday. It was a charity event.
Also Read: TATA IPL 2022 Auction: Full Players List With Base Price PDF Download
So what exactly happened with Edmeades in the 2022 Mega Auction? Well, Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was the player going under the hammer in the Mega Auction when the incident took place. Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore were both actively bidding for him and the last bid was made by Royal Challengers Bangalore for 10.75 Crores.
It was at this moment that Hugh Edmeades fainted and fell from the podium in the hall, shocking everyone. The medical staff came in immediately to help him. Minutes later, the fans were updated that the auctioneer is fine now but he is a bit shaken. It was not an internal problem but rather a physical fall.
Also Read: IPL 2022: ALL TEAM COACHES & THEIR HEFTY SALARIES
Lunch was announced soon after that and the auction resumed from 3:45 PM. It was unsure whether Hugh Edmeades would be fit enough to conduct the remainder of the event. Many fans went on social media platforms to opine that health comes first and that Hugh Edmeades should not even be asked to continue. It is not sure, however, whether the organizers have an alternative auctioneer prepared as nothing like this has ever happened before.
Shreyas Iyer Becomes Most Expensive Among Marquee Players
The Mega Auction of IPL 2022 has been a mixed bag of feelings so far. While many players like Shreyas Iyer and Kagiso Rabada got the price tag that they deserved, some players like David Warner were sold for a surprisingly low price of just 6.25 Crores. On the other hand, many star players like Shakib Al Hasan, David Miller, and Suresh Raina went unsold. Although there is a high chance that they will be sold at the later stages, it is quite surprising that none of the teams bid for them.
Shreyas Iyer is the costliest player in the IPL 2022 Mega Auction so far. Kolkata Knight Riders signed him for 12.25 Crores. Another interesting transaction was Faf du Plessis to Royal Challengers Bangalore. He will probably be made the new captain of RCB.
