The definitive cricket auction terminology dictionary.
Clear, authoritative definitions for every standard term used by professional auctioneers, franchise owners, and local tournament directors.
A streamlined bidding phase conducted late in the auction where only players shortlisted by franchises are recalled to the podium, typically sold at rapid 15-second gavel pacing.
The designated master of ceremonies who controls room pacing, calls out valid bids, enforces increment slabs, and delivers the definitive gavel strike concluding a sale.
The minimum opening bid required to place an initial bid on a player lot. Unsold if no franchise opens at or above this threshold.
The mandatory minimum amount by which a subsequent bid must increase, scaling progressively based on current bid plateaus (e.g. +1k under 10k, +2k under 30k).
A cricketer who has represented their national senior team in international matches (Test, ODI, or T20I), typically commanding higher base prices.
The portion of a franchise total budget available for premium bidding wars above the minimum baseline required to fulfill mandatory roster quotas.
The traditional ceremonial wooden hammer struck by the auctioneer onto a sounding block to legally finalize a lot sale.
The final winning bid acknowledged by the auctioneer at the moment the gavel strikes, formally deducting that sum from the franchise purse.
Elite marquee players presented in early auction lots who establish the tournament market pricing baseline and command premium purse allocations.
An aggressive bid raised significantly beyond the minimum increment slab to deter rival franchises from continuing a prolonged bidding duel.
The sequential numerical designation assigned to each player in the official tournament auction catalog.
The non-spendable portion of a franchise purse mathematically protected to guarantee the team has enough funds to purchase remaining required squad slots at base price.
The physical mechanism of raising a numbered sign or paddle to formally signal an incremental bid to the auctioneer desk.
The total spending allowance (currency or virtual points) granted to each franchise to build their squad during the auction.
A contractual token allowing a player former franchise to match the highest closing bid submitted by another team and retain the player.
The maximum number of players permitted in a single team squad (typically 15 for local T20s, 25 for professional leagues).
A confidential sealed-bid process where two franchises tied at the purse maximum submit written extra bids, with the higher secret bid winning the lot.
The mandatory minimum and maximum limits governing roster construction, including positional requirements for wicketkeepers and bowlers.
A domestic, club, or academy cricketer who has never played senior international cricket, entering the auction in secondary lot sets.
The reserve group of registered players who received no opening bid during their initial lot presentation and are eligible for recall in the accelerated round.