IPL 2026 Auction Highlights: The IPL 2026 auction has ended. The 10 teams spent a combined Rs 215.45 crore on 77 players, with 29 of them from overseas. Australia’s Cameron Green (Kolkata Knight Riders, Rs 25.20 crore) received the highest-ever bid for an overseas star in IPL history. But, that was not the most stunning buy. Chennai Super Kings picked Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma for Rs 14.20 crore each, the highest-ever IPL salary for any uncapped player. Kashmir’s Aquib Dar (DC, Rs 8.40 crore) and Mangesh Yadav (RCB, Rs 5.20 crore) were the other prominent uncapped crorepatis from the auction. Matheesha Pathirana (KKR, Rs 18 crore), Liam Livingstone (SRH, Rs 13 crore), Mustafizur Rahman (KKR, Rs 9.20 crore), Josh Inglis (LSG, Rs 8.60 crore), Ravi Bishnoi (RR, Rs 7.20 crore), and Venkatesh Iyer (RCB, Rs 7 crore) were the other top buys. (IPL Auction 2026: Full List Of All Sold And Unsold Players, Base Price And Salaries)
Australian Green became the costliest overseas player in the history of the IPL. In fact, Green’s bid is a world-record amount for any overseas player in any franchise competition. Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings engaged in an intense bidding war for the Australian, but the Shah Rukh Khan-owned KKR roped in the all-rounder for a whopping Rs 25.20 crore. He broke the record of compatriot Mitchell Starc (Rs 24.75 crore, IPL 2024, KKR) to become the costliest foreign player ever. However, he will earn only Rs 18 crore – Here’s why.
SRI LANKA: 07 Sri Lankan cricketers will feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, with three players securing contracts at Tuesday’s mini-auction, while the remaining four were retained by their respective franchises.
Pathum Nissanka and Wanindu Hasaranga were picked up at the auction, with Nissanka joining Delhi Capitals and Hasaranga signed by Lucknow Super Giants. Matheesha Pathirana was also picked at the auction, with Kolkata Knight Riders securing the Sri Lanka fast bowler.
The other four Sri Lankan players will return to the IPL after being retained by their teams. Delhi Capitals retained Dushmantha Chameera, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained Nuwan Thushara.
Sunrisers Hyderabad retained two Sri Lankan players — Kamindu Mendis and Eshan Malinga — as the franchise continues to back Sri Lankan talent for the upcoming season.
