Who is PKL Highest Paid Player? Listing Some of the Most Expensive Players in History

Pro Kabaddi League, famously abbreviated as PKL, is an Indian men’s kabaddi league that was first inaugurated in the year 2014, and ever since, 11 seasons have been played, with the 12th season underway. One of the most recognized sports leagues, PKL, has been organized by Mashal Sports since 2014, where numerous teams have emerged as the winner, with Haryana Steelers being the winner of the previous edition of the tournament.

Likewise, the PKL highest paid player in history, who successfully broke the record, is Pawan Sehrawat, who was bought by Telugu Titans for 2.605 crore in the PKL season 10. Talking about the PKL season 12 highest paid player, Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh stands at the top of the list with INR 2.23 crore, purchased by Gujarat Giants.

On this note, let’s explore the PKL highest priced player and the PKL highest bid player in history and PKL 12, respectively.

PKL Highest Paid Player in History

With the Pro Kabaddi League commencing from the year 2014, several young and promising talents emerged, attracting different franchises to invest in the tournament. Similarly, when talking about the impactful player in the tournament, their base price and price at which they were brought are observed the most, which simply defines them as the PKL highest paid player. Here is the brief list of some of the highest paid kabaddi players in the PKL history in consecutive order:

SUGGESTED READ: PKL 2025 Playoffs: Patna Pirates & Dabang Delhi

Pawan Sehrawat (₹2.605 crore)

Pawan Sehrawat is the highest bid in PKL history, purchased by Telugu Titans at INR  2.605 crore in Season 10. He was the first kabaddi player to cross 2 crore on two occasions and become the PKL highest paid player. Pawan has a reputation for being a great raider, where he played for Tamil Thalaivas last season, and surprised everyone with his speed and tactics.

This enabled him to play under pressure, making him a star in the league. Telugu Titans want him to remain at the forefront of their raiding assault and provide the vital points in every game.

.@Telugu_Titans FANS, HOW ARE YOU FEELING? 🤩

Pawan Sehrawat goes for an all-time PKL record ₹2.605 crores in #PKLSeason10 🔥👏🏻#ProKabaddi #PKLPlayerAuction #Kabaddi #PawanSehrawat #HiFlyer #TeluguTitans pic.twitter.com/3ELVWnmNcW

— ProKabaddi (@ProKabaddi) October 9, 2023

Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh (₹2.35 crore)

One of the highest paid kabaddi players is Iranian star Mohammadreza Chiyaneh, who was initially acquired by Puneri Paltan at INR  2.35 crore in Season 10. He is an all-round player who is good at defense and raiding. Chiyaneh became the second player in the history of PKL to reach 2 crore twice to become the PKL highest price player.

He has been playing in various teams, one of which was the Haryana Steelers, where he was a good defender and tackler. He is a key player due to his international experience and general skills, and is used by the teams to reinforce defense as well as attack raids.

Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh (₹2.23 crore)

In the list of PKL highest paid player in PKL 2025, Iranian all-rounder Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh comes again in the list, where he was bid by Gujarat Giants in PKL 12 (2025) auction for INR  2.23 crore. Before joining Haryana Steelers, Shadloui was reputed as a leading defender and Tackle King.

He is a great player to have on a team due to his outstanding defensive skills and international experience. Gujarat Giants look up to him to provide defense to their team and coach young players, as well as introduce variety to the team in the case of raids. His performance could be a match-winner at vital games.

Pawan Sehrawat (₹2.26 crore)

Pawan Sehrawat is again on the list of the PKL highest paid player when he joined Tamil Thalaivas in season 9 and was purchased by the team at a price of INR 2.26 crore before becoming the most expensive player in PKL history. He was fast and accurate in raiding, who could perform under pressure, allowing him to become one of the most valuable stars in the league.

Tamil Thalaivas depended on him as the main raider, and they knew that he would win games to their advantage. His initial achievements were the basis of his being the PKL highest bid player in the future.

Devank Dalal (₹2.205 crore)

In PKL 12, Bengal Warriors purchased Devank Dalal at a price of INR 2.205 crore (2025), making him one of the PKL season 12 highest paid player. He began his PKL career with Jaipur Pink Panthers and Patna Pirates and became the Best Raider in Season 11 with 301 raid points and 18 Super 10s.

Dalal is a player who is agile, strategic, and finishes the matches with strength. Bengal Warriors also wanted him to be their raider and benefit them with critical points in critical moments. His experience and consistency make him one of the key players who can transform the result of the games with his attacking skills.

🚨 Devank Dalal sold to Bengal for 2.205 Cr!

– Most expensive Indian at PKL Auction 12 🤩 pic.twitter.com/pNRY4fHg4V

— The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) May 31, 2025

PKL Season 12 / PKL 2025 Highest Paid Players

As we are discussing the PKL highest paid player in history, the current season of the tournament, PKL 12, is underway, with the final two games left to be played. Likewise, the auction for the PKL 12 was held on May 31 and June 1, 2025, where several teams bid for their favorite player who could benefit them in the long run.

The highest paid player in the PKL 2025 auction is Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh with the price of INR 2.23 crore, while the second highest bid player in 2025 was Devank Dalal, purchased by Bengal Warriors at INR 2.205 crore. Apart from these two of the PKL highest paid player in season 12, we’ll take a look at the other top five players who bagged the top price in the 2025 auction.

Ashu Malik (₹1.90 crore)

One of the most important raiders of Dabang Delhi is Ashu Malik, who joined the team in 2021, was made a captain, and the lead raider in Season 11, scoring 262 raid points. He was a clutch player and helped Delhi to knock out stages on several occasions.

At the PKL 2025 auction, Dabang Delhi kept him using the FBM card at INR 1.90 crore. Malik, one of the PKL highest paid player in season 12, will also be expected to remain the head of the raiding department in the team and influence the young players with his aggressive and consistent play.

Ankit Jaglan (₹1.573 crore)

Ankit Jaglan is a jack of all trades of the Patna Pirates; he is known to have a big tackle and support raid. He is a product of the grassroots structure of Haryana Steelers and is the man who guided Patna to the playoffs in the past 2 seasons.

Patna Pirates made one of the PKL highest paid player on him for INR 1.573 crore to reinforce defence and attack. Jaglan is also a versatile player, hence a utility player who can be needed in the important times on either end of the mat.

Arjun Deshwal (₹1.405 crore)

Arjun Deshwal, who was with the Jaipur Pink Panthers, is the new attacker of the Tamil Thalaivas. He is a champion of the 9th season of PKL with 296 raid points and the MVP who has a total raid point of more than 1,000 raid points in his career.

To make him the center of their offense, Tamil Thalaivas bought him at INR 1.405 crore, making him one of the PKL highest paid player. Deshwal is a player who plays under pressure and has been known to score the most points during super raids, making him the team player to play a significant role in the Thalaivas this season.

Jyoti Sharma’s View

Since the inauguration of the Pro Kabaddi League in 2014, the league has grown significantly, and the prices of the top players indicate the value of the league that is rising. Telugu Titans invested INR 2.605 crore in the skills of Pawan Sehrawat, and he is the PKL highest paid player, showing that he is a star raider.

On the whole, PKL has a strong competitive spirit and stakes that have made it one of the most exciting leagues in India.

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PKL Highest Paid Player: FAQs

Who is the most expensive player in PKL history?
PKL highest paid player is Pawan Sehrawat, having been bought by Telugu Titans at PKL Season 10 at INR 2.605 crore.

Who was the highest paid player in PKL 2025?
In PKL Season 12 (2025), the most expensive player was Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh, who was purchased by Gujarat Giants at INR 2.23 crore.

Who was the second highest paid player in PKL 2025?
The second-highest bidder of PKL 2025 was Devank Dalal, who was bought by Bengal Warriors at INR 2.205 crore.

Who are the most expensive players in PKL history?
The PKL highest priced player includes the names like Mohammadreza Chiyaneh, Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh, Devank Dalal, and Sachin Tanwar.

Who is the richest kabaddi player in the world?
At present, Pawan Sehrawat is considered the richest kabaddi player because of his high-auction prices.

Why is the PKL Season 12 auction historic?
The PKL 2025 auction became historic since 10 players were sold above INR 1 crore each, the highest paid being Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh, who was sold at INR 2.23 crore.