IPL auction is temporarily SUSPENDED after host Hugh Edmeades, 62, collapsed on stage due to low blood pressure… before the Briton was ‘stabilised’ by medics with proceedings set to continue on Saturday
- The Indian Premier League auction was suspended after the auctioneer fainted
- British chief Hugh Edmeades, 62, collapsed due to low blood pressure on stage
- Edmeades was stabilised and will play some part in the draw later on Saturday
- The auction was temporarily suspended before restarting at 3.30pm local time
The Indian Premier League auction was suspended on Saturday after auctioneer Hugh Edmeades collapsed on stage during the proceedings.
The British auctioneer, 62, was hosting the 2022 event in Bengalaru and was controlling the bidding for the third set of players when he suddenly collapsed, leaving the spectators and onlooking teams terrified.
Edmeades was considered to be stable by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), who temporarily halted the auction, with the reason for his collapse believed to be blood pressure.
The 2022 IPL auction was temporarily suspended as auctioneer Hugh Edmeades collapsed
Edmeades was hosting on Saturday before collapsing on stage due to low blood pressure
The auction is set to resume at 3:30pm local time (10am GMT), with Edmeades set to be involved at the end of the auction, with Charu Sharma taking over the bidding.
‘Our auctioneer is stable,’ a BBCI statement read. ‘The medical guys are attending to him. He should be back for the next set.’
The Indian Premier League announced that the 62-year-old collapsed due to Postural Hypotension, which results in dizziness, light-headedness and fainting.
Edmeades has been conducting the IPL auction since 2019, becoming only the second person to hold that role in the competition’s history after Richard Madley.
The 62-year-old was stabilised by medics after suffering from ‘Postural Hypotension’
The auctioneer is responsible for conducting the bids for the 590 registered players for the popular white-ball cricket tournament in India. This year, 370 Indian cricketers have signed up for the event, with 220 overseas players.
Edmeades has a long history in holding auctions and it is estimated he has auctioned out around £2.7billion of talent, including sports players and cars, during his 35 years in the industry.
In 2004, he auctioned off 88 guitars belonging to Eric Clapton for nearly £5.5million, while he also oversaw the bidding for the Aston Martin DB10 car from the James Bond film Spectre, which went for nearly £2.5m in 2016.
In the early rounds of bidding on the opening day, Kolkata Knight Riders bought India batsman Shreyas Iyer for 122.5 million Indian rupees (£1.2m).
Australia test captain Pat Cummins joined Iyer in Kolkata for 72.50 million rupees (£710,000), while national team mate David Warner went to Delhi Capitals for 62.50 million (£61,000).