Cricket: Shane Watson draws highest bid at IPL auction

The 2016 Indian Premier League auction provided plenty of surprises, with a number of relatively unheralded players commanding the most significant fees.

Shane Watson proved the most expensive purchase on Saturday, the Royal Challengers Bangalore parting with $1,417,000 to bring in the experienced Australia all-rounder.

Yet while Watson may have been expected to be among the big earners, few would have anticipated uncapped Indian spinner Pawan Negi being bought for $1,268,000 by the Delhi Daredevils.

Delhi's lucrative bid completed a whirlwind couple of days for Negi, who was named in India's World Twenty20 squad on Friday.

There was also a million-dollar deal for South Africa paceman Chris Morris with the Delhi Daredevils, while Yuvraj Singh cost Sunrisers Hyderabad a seven-figure sum.

However, the likes of Darren Sammy, Martin Guptill and Usman Khawaja were surprisingly overlooked and Gujarat Lions were able to pick up Australia opener Aaron Finch for just $149,000.

The Royal Pune Supergiants made a number of high-profile additions to their squad, bringing in the likes of Mitchell Marsh ($716,000), Ishant Sharma ($567,000) and former England batsman Kevin Pietersen ($522,000).

Jos Buttler, meanwhile, will get his first taste of IPL action with the Mumbai Indians, having been bought for $567,000.