Fifty players were expected to go under the Premier Badminton League (PBL)’s auction Monday, but the bidding for Saina Nehwal and Lee Chong Wei was concluded on Sunday night itself.
Five franchises made a $1 lakh bid (maximum) for Saina. Her fate was eventually decided by a lottery, which was won by Lucknow’s Awadh Warriors.
Hyderabad and Mumbai too went the distance in their attempts to secure the services of superstar Lee Chong Wei. Hyderabad eventually got their hands on the Malaysian after a draw of lots.
“The team owners agreed to conduct the auction for Saina and Chong Wei. Everyone wanted Saina but Awadh Warriors bagged her in the end,” a team owner said.
The auction for remaining players will be conducted in New Delhi later in the day.
