New Delhi, Oct 14: In the first half of Day 2 of the Hockey India League (HIL) Player Auction 2024/25 Monday, all eight franchises bid strategically on overseas players.

The biggest buy of the first half was Belgium's Victor Wegnez, who was sold to Soorma Hockey Club for Rs 40 lakh.

Some notable overseas buys included the Dutch duo of Thierry Brinkman (Rs 38 lakh) and Arthur Van Doren (Rs 32 lakh), who were sold to Kalinga Lancers. Tomas Domene (for Rs 36 lakh to Delhi SG Pipers),

Australia's Aran Zalewski (for Rs 27 lakh to Kalinga Lancers), and Blake Govers (for Rs 27 lakh to Tamil Nadu Dragons) were also top buys in the first half, as per a press release from Hockey India.

Meanwhile, Moriangthem Rabichandra (for Rs 32 lakh to Kalinga Lancers) and Mohd. Raheel Mouseen (for Rs 25 lakh to Tamil Nadu Dragons) were among the top Indian buys.

It was an eventful opening day of the Hockey India League Player Auction 2024/25 as 54 players, including 18 overseas players were sold here Sunday.

All eight franchises spent as many as Rs 16 crores 88 lakhs 50 thousand on day one as the Indian Men's Hockey team core players, along with overseas drag-flickers fetched big bids.

Gurjant Singh (Rs 19 lakh) was the first player who went under the hammer, while star drag-flicker and Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh (Rs 78 lakh) emerged as the costliest buy on the opening day of the HIL 2024/25 Player Auction. Both players were acquired by Soorma Hockey Club.

Abhishek became the second-most expensive buy of the day, acquired by Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for Rs 72 lakh, while Hardik Singh went to UP Rudras for Rs 70 lakh. Germany's Gonzalo Peillat was the most expensive overseas player as he was bought for Rs 68 lakh along with the Netherlands' Jip Janssen who was acquired for Rs 54 lakh by Tamil Nadu Dragons.

Other notable buys from the first lot included Amit Rohidas (for 48 lakh to Tamil Nadu Dragons), Jugraj Singh (for Rs 48 lakh to Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers), Sumit (for 46 lakh to Hyderabad Toofans), and Araijeet Singh Hundal (for Rs 42 lakh to Team Gonasika).

The Netherlands' duo of Lars Balk and Duco Telgenkamp were among the day's top buys. While Balk was acquired for Rs 40 lakh by UP Rudras, Telgenkamp was bought for 36 lakh by Tamil Nadu Dragons.

Foreign goalkeepers - Ireland's David Harte (for Rs 32 lakh to Tamil Nadu Dragons), Germany's Jean-Paul Danneberg (for Rs 27 lakh to Hyderabad Toofans), and the Netherlands' Pirmin Blaak (for Rs 25 lakh to Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers) also fetched big bids.

Top five buys in the first half of Day 2

1.   Victor Wegnez (Belgium) - Soorma Hockey Club - Rs 40 lakh
2.   Thierry Brinkman (Netherlands) - Kalinga Lancers - Rs 38 lakh
3.   Tomas Domene (Argentina) - Delhi SG Pipers - Rs 36 lakh
4.   Moriangthem Rabichandra - Kalinga Lancers - Rs 32 lakh
5.   Arthur Van Doren (Belgium) - Kalinga Lancers - Rs 32 lakh

Purse remaining for franchises

1.   Kalinga Lancers - Rs 79 lakh
2.   Team Gonasika - Rs 59.20 lakh
3.   Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers - Rs 66 lakh
4.   Tamil Nadu Dragons - Rs 68 lakh
5.   Delhi SG Pipers - Rs 56.50 lakh
6.   Hyderabad Toofans - Rs 83 lakh
7.   Soorma Hockey Club - Rs 97 lakh
8.   UP Rudras - Rs 114 lakh.

(ANI)

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