Kashmiri all-rounder Auqib Nabi grabbed attention at the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday after being bought by Delhi Capitals for a massive Rs 8.40 crore. He entered the auction at a base price of Rs 30 lakh but sparked a fierce bidding war among several franchises.
Delhi Capitals opened the bidding for the Jammu and Kashmir cricketer, with Rajasthan Royals briefly joining in. Royal Challengers Bengaluru then pushed the price higher after Rajasthan stepped out. As the bid crossed the five crore mark, Sunrisers Hyderabad entered the contest, leading to a direct battle with Delhi Capitals. Sunrisers eventually backed out at Rs 8.40 crore, allowing Delhi to secure Nabi and make him one of the highest-paid uncapped players in IPL history.
This will be Auqib Nabi’s first appearance in the Indian Premier League. The 29-year-old pacer has been one of the standout performers in domestic cricket and is currently the leading wicket taker among fast bowlers in the 2025 Ranji Trophy, with 29 wickets from five matches.
Nabi, who is registered as Auqib Dar, is a bowling all-rounder known for his ability to swing the ball and trouble batters in all formats. He has also impressed in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, picking up 15 wickets in seven matches at an economy rate of under eight. He was previously associated with the Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad as a net bowler.
Born in Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, Auqib Nabi made his List A debut in the 2018–19 Vijay Hazare Trophy, followed by his T20 debut in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and his first-class debut in the Ranji Trophy. He has taken more than 120 wickets in first-class cricket and has a career best of seven wickets for 24 runs. His consistent performances earned him a place in the North Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy.
Speaking earlier about going unsold in last year’s mega auction, Nabi had said it was disappointing despite his strong domestic performances.
