Then, there are teams with specific needs. Delhi wants a specialist batsman; Kolkata, which has been hit by the absence of Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul, needs a fast bowler, possibly Shaun Tait; Mumbai would like to purchase an allrounder. "It has been generally accepted that multi-skilled players will be in demand, but most of the teams will enter the auction room with a clear, short list," a franchise official said.
The missing Pakistani players have also left the teams with a delicate balancing act to perform at the auction. According to IPL rules, teams can pick one-year replacements for the Pakistani players at the auction but will have to stay within the US$ 2 million cap. However, if the teams go for a replacement after the auction, they can spend the equivalent of the amount they would have paid the Pakistani player this year - this replacement will have to be from the original IPL list of 111 players released last week
© Cricinfo
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