Smiles, hugs and tears of joy: How families of Auqib Nabi, Prashant Veer, Kartik Sharma celebrated their IPL deals

New Delhi: It was a historic day for the families of young Indian cricket stars Auqib Nabi Dar, Prashant Veer, and Kartik Sharma – the trio of uncapped players who bagged mega deals at the  Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi.

While Uttar Pradesh all-rounder Prashant and Rajasthan batter Kartik bagged mega deals of Rs 14.20 crore, Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib also enjoyed a great payday after being bought by Delhi Capitals for a big sum of Rs 8.4 crore.

Following the completion of landmark deals, celebrations broke into the homes of the young cricketers. Prashant and Kartik’s families celebrated with hugs, smiles and dance while Auqib’s father was in tears after learning about his son’s mega deal.

This is why i love CRICKET… ❤️
This is why i respect IPL… ✌️

Can literally feel their happiness !! #IPL2026 #iplauction2026 pic.twitter.com/hjY8lKhj13

— Tech-Knight ® (@TechWiz97) December 16, 2025

Tears of joy in the eyes of Auqib Nabi Dar’s father as he celebrates his son’s IPL success. Overwhelmed with pride, he says his only wish is to see Auqib work even harder and one day represent India on the international stage#ProudFather #AuqibNabiDar #JKCricket#IPL2026 pic.twitter.com/WWc0cKa2L8

— DD NEWS SRINAGAR (@ddnewsSrinagar) December 16, 2025

After being bought by Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kartik and Prashant became the joint-most expensive uncapped players in the league’s history.

Kartik, Prashant and Auqib: The breakout stars

Kartik is a young wicket-keeper batter renowned for his explosive hitting prowess. Meanwhile, Prashant is an up-and-coming left-arm all-rounder from Uttar Pradesh, known for his economical bowling and ability to play the finisher’s role with the bat to good effect.

Prashant was the top performer in the UPT20 2025, with 320 runs and 8 wickets in ten matches. He scored at an impressive strike rate of over 155 while batting in the lower middle order.

He has been signed as a replacement for Ravindra Jadeja, who was part of a trade deal with the Rajasthan Royals, which also involved Sanju Samson.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Kartik was the one to watch out for in the auction owing to his extraordinary six-hitting ability. For his services, CSK, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Sunrisers Hyderabad fought hard in an intense bidding war for the talented batter. His superb record speaks volumes about his talent. In 12 T20s, Kartik has scored 334 runs at a strike rate of 164, including a whopping 28 sixes.

Auqib was rewarded for his consistent performance for J&K in the domestic circuit. The Baramulla-born cricketer took the Ranji Trophy, by storm last season by taking a whopping 49 wickets from nine matches at a stunning average of 13.08.

He continued his sensational form in the 2025-26 season of the Duleep Trophy. Playing for the North Zone, he became the first bowler to scalp four wickets in four balls against East Zone in the history of the tournament.