IPL Auction Tie-Breaker: How Secret Bidding Wars Decide Tied Results

In cricket, a tie results in a Super Over. In football, it can lead to a penalty shootout. But what happens in the event of a tie during an IPL auction? The answer is a silent, closed-door bidding war. This scenario is particularly likely during mini-auctions, such as the one scheduled for Tuesday, December 16, in Abu Dhabi.

In previous years, tie-break secret bids have been used to secure players like Kieron Pollard and Shane Bond (in 2010), as well as Ravindra Jadeja (in 2012). That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. the rules governing these situations have since been updated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Whether a tie-break situation will occur in Abu Dhabi remains to be seen. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. the BCCI recently sent a communication to the franchises clarifying the rules. With 10 teams now participating, the BCCI explained that scenarios may arise where multiple teams are vying for a single player but lack the necessary funds to continue bidding openly. Specifically, this occurs when:

• A franchise makes a final bid for a player, exhausting their remaining 2026 Salary Cap and preventing them from making the next incremental bid.
• At least one other franchise could have matched that final bid but is also unable to raise the bid further due to salary cap limitations.

In such cases, the auctioneer will initiate the closed-door bidding process to resolve the tie.