Sport
Four Afghan players retained by IPL franchises ahead of 2026 auction
Four Afghan cricketers have been retained by their respective franchises as teams gear up for the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, which is scheduled to be held on 16 December in Abu Dhabi.
Across all teams, 173 players have been retained, including 49 overseas players. With a maximum squad size of 25 players permitted for each franchise, Punjab Kings lead the list with 21 retained players, the highest among the 10 teams. Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans have each retained 20 players.
Retained Afghan Players:
- Noor Ahmad – Chennai Super Kings
- Rashid Khan – Gujarat Titans
- Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar – Mumbai Indians
- Azmatullah Omarzai – Punjab Kings
Released Afghan Players:
- Sediqullah Atal – Delhi Capitals
- Karim Janat – Gujarat Titans
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz – Kolkata Knight Riders
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman – Mumbai Indians
- Fazalhaq Farooqi – Rajasthan Royals