The IPL 2026 mini auction gets underway today at 2:30 PM IST at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, with 350 players set to go under the hammer.
While the venue and scale grab attention, the spotlight once again falls on Mallika Sagar, the woman entrusted with conducting one of cricket’s most high-profile auctions.
Over the years, the IPL auction has seen several auctioneers take charge, beginning with Richard Madley, followed by Hugh Edmeades and Charu Sharma. Since 2024, however, the responsibility has firmly rested with Mallika Sagar, who continues her association with the league at this year’s event.
IPL 2026 Mini Auction Auctioneer
Mallika Sagar’s path to the IPL auction stage is anything but conventional. Born in Mumbai in 1975, she grew up in a business family but found her calling in the world of art rather than sport.
Her initial fascination with auctioneering reportedly began after reading a book that featured a female auctioneer, a spark that would later shape her career.
She went on to study Art History at Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia, laying the academic foundation for a future in global auction houses.
At the age of just 26, Mallika reached a historic milestone by becoming the first Indian female auctioneer at Christie’s in New York, a breakthrough that established her reputation on the international stage.
Breaking Barriers in Indian Sports Auctions
While Mallika had already carved out a name in fine art auctions, her entry into Indian sporting leagues marked a new chapter.
In 2021, she became the first woman to conduct an auction in the Pro Kabaddi League, breaking long-standing gender barriers in the sports business ecosystem.
Her growing stature soon led to another landmark moment. Two years later, she was handed the responsibility of conducting the Women’s Premier League auction for the first time, further cementing her role in India’s rapidly expanding sports landscape.
