IPL 2026 Auction Highlights: Akib Nabi Dar and Prashant Veer Make History
IPL 2026 Auction Results
In a thrilling auction held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, Jammu and Kashmir's fast bowler Akib Nabi Dar was acquired by the Delhi Capitals for a staggering ₹8.40 crores. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh's spin-bowling all-rounder Prashant Veer made headlines by becoming the most expensive uncapped Indian player in IPL history. The auction for IPL 2026 once again showcased surprising outcomes.
The 29-year-old Akib, who has been making waves in domestic cricket as a fast bowler, finally secured a spot in the world's premier cricket league. Prashant was picked up by CSK for ₹14.20 crores, potentially stepping into the shoes of one of the franchise's key match-winners, Ravindra Jadeja.
Bidding War for Akib and Prashant
The bidding for Akib began with Delhi Capitals, and soon Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore joined the fray. Once the bid surpassed ₹1 crore, RR opted out, leaving RCB to compete with DC, along with Sunrisers Hyderabad. Ultimately, DC secured Akib for ₹8.40 crores. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Akib took 15 wickets at an average of 13.26, including a four-wicket haul. Across 34 T20 matches, he has claimed 43 wickets at an average of 21.81, with two four-wicket performances.
In the Ranji Trophy, he has also excelled, taking 29 wickets in five matches at an average of 13.27, featuring one four-wicket haul and three five-wicket hauls, including a remarkable 7/24 against Rajasthan. Hailing from Baramulla, Akib is known for his exceptional skills with the new ball and has shown improvement with the old ball as well.
Prashant Veer's Impressive Performance
Prashant Veer also garnered attention during the auction, with a fierce bidding war among Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians, CSK, RR, and SRH. The five-time champions CSK continued to bid until the end, ultimately acquiring him for ₹14.20 crores. He has delivered outstanding performances for UP in the SMAT, scoring 112 runs at an average of over 37 and a strike rate exceeding 170 across six innings, with a top score of 40*. Additionally, he took nine wickets in seven matches at an average of nearly 18.
In contrast, several uncapped batsmen, including Arya Desai from Gujarat, Yash Dhull from Delhi, Abhinav Manohar from Karnataka, Anmolpreet Singh from Punjab, Atharv Taide from Vidarbha, and Abhinav Tejarana from Goa, went unsold. Among the all-rounders, Vijay Shankar, Tanush Kotia, U19 WC star Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Mahipal Lomror, Eden Apple Tom, and hard-hitter Sanveer Singh from Punjab also remained unsold. However, Madhya Pradesh's all-rounder Shivang was picked up by SRH at his base price of ₹30 lakhs.