Why Overseas Players Can't Be Paid More Than Rs 18 Crore In IPL 2026 Auction?

A total of 1355 cricketers from around the world have registered for the IPL 2026 players auction, which will take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16. According to a report by ESPN Cricinfo, 43 overseas players and two Indian players have put their names in the highest base price category of ₹2 crore. The auction is expected to see a big bidding war as teams look to sign top overseas stars like Australian all-rounder Cameron Green and Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana.

Green missed the 2025 season of the world’s richest franchise league because of an injury. Pathirana, on the other hand, was surprisingly released by Chennai Super Kings ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. The young fast bowler, who has a slinging action similar to Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga, is expected to be a top target for many franchises. Looking at the trend of past IPL mini auctions, it won’t be a surprise if he becomes one of the most expensive players this year.

Mitchell Starc holds the record for being the most expensive player in an IPL mini auction. He was bought for ₹24.75 crore by Kolkata Knight Riders before IPL 2024. KKR will enter the IPL 2026 auction with a purse of ₹64.30 crore, and after keeping only 12 players, they are expected to make some big signings again.

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Why Overseas Players Can’t Get More Than ₹18 Crore

But this time, in the IPL 2026 auction, no overseas player can earn more than ₹18 crore. The reason is the new IPL rules introduced by the BCCI before last year’s mega auction. According to the rules, the maximum fee for any overseas player in a mini auction is capped at ₹18 crore. Even if a team bids more, the player will still get only ₹18 crore. This limit was based on the highest retention slab for the 2025 mega auction.

If teams bid above ₹18 crore for an overseas player, the extra amount will be used by the BCCI for player welfare. However, this rule does not apply to Indian players. Indian players will receive the full amount of their winning bid.

How the Rule Works

If players like Green or Pathirana are bought for ₹20 crore, they will receive ₹18 crore and the remaining ₹2 crore will go to BCCI’s welfare fund. But the entire ₹20 crore will be deducted from the team’s purse. If an Indian player is bought for the same amount, he will get the full ₹20 crore.