Meet Mallika Sagar, the auctioneer at IPL 2026 mini auction in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: At any auction, the spotlight inevitably falls on the auctioneer. Traditionally, that role has almost always been filled by men. So when a woman stepped into a profession long dominated by them, attention was bound to follow.

Enter Mallika Sagar — a familiar and influential presence in modern IPL auctions. Currently presiding over the IPL 2026 mini auction at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, Sagar has once again become the focal point of the proceedings.

This, however, is far from her first appearance on the IPL stage. In 2023, she created history by becoming the first woman to conduct an IPL auction, beginning with the mini-auction in Dubai. Her assured and composed conduct won widespread acclaim, earning her a return for the mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, last year. More recently, she also officiated the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 auction, further strengthening her standing in the cricketing world.

Breakthrough

Sagar’s journey into Indian sports auctions began in 2021, when she became the first woman auctioneer for the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). Her rising profile continued with the inaugural WPL auction in 2023, a moment widely regarded as her breakthrough in sports auctioneering.

Born into a Mumbai-based business family, Sagar studied art history at Bryn Mawr College in the United States. She began her auctioneering career in 2001 at Christie’s in New York, one of the world’s most prestigious auction houses. By the age of 26, she had already made history as the first Indian woman to serve as an auctioneer at Christie’s. She later returned to India and worked with renowned institutions, including Mumbai’s Pundole’s Art Gallery.

As the IPL 2026 auction unfolds, with hundreds of players going under the hammer, Mallika Sagar’s presence once again underscores her remarkable journey and her growing influence across India’s sporting and auction landscapes.