Auqib Nabi Dar.
Credit: PTI Photo
Uncapped all-rounder Auqib Nabi Dar sprung a surprise in the IPL 2026 auction when he was picked for a massive amount of Rs 8.40 crore by Delhi Capitals.
The Jammu and Kashmir-based player attracted bids from four teams, including Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and SunRisers Hyderabad.
In the intense bid war, DC finally pipped SRH to acquire his services. He will join Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar and Dushmatha Chameera to bolster the team's pace bowling arsenal.
Who is Auqib Nabi Dar?
Auqib Naib comes from Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir. He is now the third pacer from the region, after Umran Malik and Yudhvir Singh Charak, to feature in the IPL.
The right-arm medium pacer has been in brilliant form in domestic cricket in 2025. He picked up 15 wickets in seven Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches just before the auction. His economy rate was 7.41 and had best figures of 4/16 against Bihar.
Apart from the T20 tournament, Dar also did well in the Ranji Trophy, scalping 29 wickets in nine innings, including three fifers and a stunning 7/24 against Rajasthan, which helped Jammu and Kashmir progress to the knockouts stage.
In the previous season, the medium-pacer had got 44 wickets an a stunning average of 13.93.
In 36 first-class games, he has picked 125 wickets. He has also scored 870 runs in First Class cricket with a highest score of 55. Dar has also played 29 List-A matches and 34 T20S, picking a combined total of 85 wickets.
In his outing for Jammu and Kahsmir against Madhya Pradesh prior to the auction, he scored 32 runs off 21 balls and also picked up three wickets, conceding 19 runs in four overs.