IPL 2026 Auction: Franchises spent big at the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi to secure top players. Kolkata Knight Riders made headlines by signing Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for a record Rs 25.20 crore. They also bought Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana for Rs 18 crore. He became the most expensive Sri Lankan sold at an IPL auction.
Uncapped Indian players attracted strong interest as Chennai Super Kings buys two uncapped players, Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma for a record Rs 14.2 crore each. The duo became the most expensive uncapped players ever sold at the IPL auction.
Jammu and Kashmir pacer Aaqib Nabi Dar was another standout. Delhi Capitals bought him for Rs 8.40 crore. He had a base price of Rs 30 lakh and emerged as one of the top uncapped buys of the mini auction.
Green’s signing set a new benchmark. He surpassed fellow Australian Mitchell Starc’s previous record of Rs 24.75 crore to become the most expensive overseas player in IPL history. A bidding war between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings ended in KKR’s favour.
England all-rounder Liam Livingstone was another major signing. Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him for Rs 13 crore after he went unsold in the first round. The franchise outbid Lucknow Super Giants to secure Livingstone.
IPL Auction 2026: Most expensive buys
| Rank | Player Name | Team | Price (₹ Crore) |
|---|
| 1 | Cameron Green | Kolkata Knight Riders | 25.20 |
| 2 | Matheesha Pathirana | Kolkata Knight Riders | 18.00 |
| 3 | Kartik Sharma | Chennai Super Kings | 14.20 |
| 4 | Prashant Veer | Chennai Super Kings | 14.20 |
| 5 | Liam Livingstone | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 13.00 |
