IPL Auction 2026: 13 crore bid proved worthwhile; Liam Livingstone showed his class by winning the match in Abu Dhabi
The player on whom Sunrisers Hyderabad owner Kavya Maran spent Rs 13 crore at the IPL auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16, gave a resounding answer with his bat on the same day. England's star all-rounder Liam Livingstone made it clear with an explosive innings that the gamble placed on him was absolutely right.
Proved himself in Abu Dhabi
Liam Livingstone delivered a brilliant performance for his team Abu Dhabi Knight Riders against Desert Vipers in the International League T20. Batting at number four, Livingstone scored 76 runs off just 48 balls. This was his second-highest score of the season, which completely changed the course of the match.
Created a sensation with fours and sixes
In this innings played at a strike rate of over 158, Livingstone attacked the bowlers fiercely. He hit a total of 9 boundaries during his innings, including 6 fours and 3 sixes. Thanks to his explosive batting, the team managed to reach a strong score.
Team won by 1 run, making it an exciting match
Thanks to Livingstone's innings, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders scored 181 runs for 5 wickets in 20 overs while batting first. Chasing the target, the Desert Vipers team could only score 180 runs for 6 wickets and lost the match by 1 run. This victory was entirely credited to Livingstone's innings.
Why the bidding war for 13 crore?
It is noteworthy that Livingstone remained unsold in the first round of the IPL 2026 auction. However, the second time his name came up, KKR, Gujarat, Lucknow, and Hyderabad all went after him. KKR started the bidding, Gujarat also joined the race, but the real battle was between LSG and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Ultimately, SRH won the bid for Rs 13 crore.