With the IPL auction just an hour away, Mumbai's Sarfaraz Khan sent a strong message to the franchises with a blistering 22-ball 73 against Rajasthan in a Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Super League Group B game on Tuesday. Despite his impressive performance, the talented batter has been consistently overlooked by national selectors and went unsold at the last IPL auction.
Chennai Super Kings made headlines at the recent IPL 2026 auction by shelling out a whopping Rs 14.2 crore each for uncapped players Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma. The middle-order batter has showcased his power-hitting skills in domestic cricket and can be a valuable addition to CSK's line-up. Despite being injured, Sharma's T20 career has already seen him smash 28 sixes, making him a promising pick for the team's batting lineup. CSK also secured West Indies all-rounder Akeal Hosein for a bargain price of Rs 2 crore.
Indian leg spinner Rahul Chahar, who previously played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2025 IPL season, was bought by Chennai Super Kings for a whopping Rs. 5.2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction. The Rajasthan-born bowler's steady performance in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, with six wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 8.70, made him a hot pick for the upcoming IPL season. Cricket fans, have you subscribed for the 2026 season yet?
After going unsold earlier in the auction, Sarfaraz Khan was successfully bought by Chennai Super Kings for his base price of Rs 75 lakhs in the accelerated round. The young player has now remained unsold for three consecutive IPL auctions.
Lucknow Super Giants had a successful IPL 2026 auction, securing their top pick Josh Inglis for a whopping Rs 8.6 crore. They also acquired key players like Wanindu Hasaranga and Anrich Nortje for their base price. With a strong batting line-up including Rishabh Pant and Aiden Markram, and a strengthened bowling attack, LSG seem to have assembled a promising squad for the upcoming season.
In a surprising move at the Indian Premier League 2026 Auction, England all-rounder Liam Livingstone was sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs. 13 crore. This comes after Livingstone was initially unsold, but the Sunrisers were able to secure his services after a heated bidding war with the Lucknow Super Giants. Fans are eagerly waiting to see Livingstone in action for his new team in the upcoming season.
After turning 30 and dominating the Big Bash League, Australian cricketer Matthew Short is hoping for a second shot at the IPL after a brief stint with Punjab Kings in 2023. With a base price of INR 1.5 crore, Short feels "a lot more ready" than his first experience two-and-a-half years ago, when he was "rushed" into the spotlight and struggled under pressure. Now, with improved mental clarity and confidence from playing in various leagues around the world, Short is ready to make a comeback at Tuesday's IPL auction.
West Indian cricketer Jason Holder was the star of the show as he led defending champions Islamabad United to a comfortable victory over Lahore Qalandars on the opening day of the Pakistan Super League. Holder's four-wicket haul, along with contributions from other bowlers, restricted Qalandars to a low total of 139 runs. Despite a strong knock from Abdullah Shafique, United's strong performance with the ball proved too much for the Qalandars. In response, United's batsmen Colin Munro and Salman Agha guided their team to a convincing win with 8 wickets in hand, starting their title defence with a bang.
The Kolkata Knight Riders entered the IPL 2026 auction with the highest purse and lived up to expectations by securing the most expensive players at the start. With the record-breaking signings of Cameron Green and Matheesha Pathirana, KKR now have a formidable batting line-up led by captain Ajinkya Rahane. With a strong bowling attack and solid options in the middle-order, KKR's final squad looks set to make a mark in the upcoming IPL season.
Mangesh Yadav proved to be a surprising pick at the IPL 2026 auction as Royal Challengers Bengaluru shelled out a whopping Rs 5.2 crore for the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder. Despite his relatively low base price of Rs 30 lakh, RCB engaged in a bidding war and ultimately won against Sunrisers Hyderabad. With impressive performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Madhya Pradesh T20 League, RCB hopes he will add strength to their team.
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green made waves at the IPL 2026 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi as he was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a staggering ₹25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player in IPL history. With KKR's already strong middle-order, JioStar expert Anil Kumble suggests that Green could be utilized at the top of the order for the team. Green's successful bid also broke the record for the most bids received for a cricketer, with 117 bids.