Who is Auqib Nabi Dar? The J&K fast bowler sold to Delhi Capitals for 8.4 CR in IPL Auction 2026

Jammu & Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi was sold to Delhi Capitals (DC) for ₹8.40 crore during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction following an intense bidding war involving Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Rajasthan Royals (RR), and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Auqib Nabi Dar Stats

The 29-year-old speedster has been in outstanding form across India’s domestic circuit, delivering consistent match-winning performances in both the Ranji Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. His rise has made him one of the most sought-after uncapped players, with franchises closely monitoring his progress over the past year.

Domestic

Nabi has emerged as one of the most prolific red-ball bowlers in Indian domestic cricket, having claimed 125 first-class wickets at an impressive average of 19.98. His tally includes 12 five-wicket hauls and three 10-wicket match hauls. Notably, since the start of 2024, no pacer has taken more Ranji Trophy wickets than Nabi, with his 29 wickets this season coming in just nine innings.

List A 

He has also proven his effectiveness in white-ball formats, picking up 42 wickets in List A cricket and 40 wickets in T20s. Capable of swinging the new ball and executing hard lengths at the death, Nabi offers versatility as a pace-bowling option. In addition, he has contributed with the bat, scoring 870 first-class runs, including a half-century.

SMAT and Ranji Trophy Stats

In the most recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Nabi finished with 11 wickets from five matches at an average of 13.54, regularly providing early breakthroughs for Jammu & Kashmir. His standout performance was a spell of 4/16 against Bihar. Another widely discussed moment came during a Ranji Trophy match against Delhi, where he dismissed Hrithik Shokeen with a well-shaped away-seamer before trapping Manan Bharadwaj with a first-ball in-swinging yorker in the same over.

Prior to the auction, Nabi had already attracted significant interest, with multiple franchises inviting him for trials. Delhi Capitals had assessed him closely during a training camp as they sought a reliable Indian pacer following Mohit Sharma’s departure.

Auqib Nabi Dar Sold to DC 

With the acquisition of Nabi, DC have strengthened their new-ball attack, providing valuable support to Mitchell Starc while easing the workload on Mukesh Kumar and T. Natarajan. Rajasthan Royals, who struggled with inconsistent Indian seam bowling last season, were keen to secure Nabi but were ultimately outbid.