IPL Auction 2026: Why No Afghanistan Player Was Sold Despite 10 Registrations?

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ IPL 2026 player auction, which took place on 16 December in Abu Dhabi, was one of the most vibrant mini-auctions in the last few years, and it attracted the attention of cricket fans from all over the world. With 369 players on the shortlist and 77 slots filled across the 10 franchises, the event was full of strategic bidding to a great extent, unexpected high-price purchases, and fierce competition for both capped and uncapped players.

The auction highlighted the changes in team strategies and the increasing pool of T20 talents ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌worldwide. This time, the emphasis was more on quality players, irrespective of capped or uncapped.

Why Afghanistan Players Were Not Selected in IPL 2026 Auction?

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi was a highly awaited mini-auction of recent times, and many players registered, including ten cricketers from Afghanistan. These ten Afghan players, such as Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and others, are among the most promising international players looking to grab cash-rich deals in the IPL.

But, it turned out unexpectedly that none of these ten players from Afghanistan managed to get a bid on the day of the auction. The list of unsold Afghan players in IPL 2026 auction surprised a few as the country has produced amazing talent over the years. However, ranchise strategies were mostly oriented towards the recent T20 form of the players and the proven impact of the player in the Indian Premier League.

The IPL teams were especially looking for the most explosive batters and bowlers whose recent performances in the some of the biggest cricket leagues in the world (such as the Big Bash League, Caribbean Premier League, and SA20) had taken everyone by storm.

Another factor to consider is that some of the listed Afghan players were not performing exceptionally well in recent international matches. The Afghanistan national team has improved vastly over the years, but the recent downfall in the Asia Cup 2025 might have contributed to the unsold players IPL 2026 list.

Retained Afghanistan Players in IPL 2026

Before​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ the auction, a few Afghan players were already retained by different franchises, while none of the ten Afghan players available for the auction were sold. Rashid Khan (Gujarat Titans), Azmatullah Omarzai (Punjab Kings), Noor Ahmad (Chennai Super Kings), and Allah Mohammad Ghanzafar (Mumbai Indians) are some of the players who have been retained by their respective franchises.

All these players will get a chance to showcase their talent in the upcoming season. Afghanistan have produced some of the best T20 bowlers in the world and continues to produce some exciting talent. The retention of these stars is a reminder that even if teams have passed on some other Afghan players during the auction, they still rely on the performance of the experienced stars and the talented youngsters who are already their squad ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌members.