Abu Dhabi [UAE], December 17 (ANI): The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made a strong statement at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction, led by the marquee signings Cameron Green, Matheesha Pathirana and Mustafizur Rahman. They also added depth with Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra and returning players Tim Seifert and Rahul Tripathi. Backed by a clear focus on emerging Indian talent, KKR's buys reflected balance, quality and long-term planning, as per a release.

The side went all out for Australian batter Green, winning a bidding battle against the Chennai Super Kings to secure him for Rs 25.20 crore. The purchase made Green the most expensive overseas player in the IPL auctions history. Known for his power-hitting, he has scored 964 runs in 63 T20 matches. This includes 707 runs across two IPL seasons at a strike rate of 153.70, with an unbeaten 100 as his highest IPL score.

The side also locked horns for Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana in the auction, staving off competition from the Lucknow Super Giants to sign him for INR 18 crore. An IPL winner in 2023, the 22-year-old has taken 136 wickets in 101 T20 matches. With 47 wickets in 32 IPL matches, he adds significant pace and wicket-taking threat to the Kolkata Knight Riders' attack.

Sharing his excitement on joining the three-time champions, the Australian said, 'I'm excited to be part of KKR for this year's IPL; to get down to the Eden Gardens, and get used to the atmosphere,' as quoted from a release.

His enthusiasm was mirrored by Pathirana, who said, 'I'm very excited to join the Purple and Gold army for this IPL. I can't wait to work with Dwayne Bravo and the rest of the staff.'

Another IPL winner, Mustafizur Rahman, was added to the squad for Rs 9.2 crore. The left-arm seamer, who made his IPL debut in 2016, has taken 65 wickets in 60 matches.

The side also picked up explosive New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Finn Allen at his base price of Rs 2 crore. Renowned for his power-hitting, Allen has amassed 4,431 runs in 162 T20 matches at an average of 28.77 and a strike rate of 173.90. He will be joined by compatriot Rachin Ravindra, also signed for Rs 2 crore, strengthening the top-order batting options.

Two familiar faces returned to the setup, with wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert rejoining for Rs 1.50 crore and top-order batter Rahul Tripathi signed for INR 75 lakh. Meanwhile, local boy Akash Deep will also don the Purple and Gold in the upcoming season after being snapped up for Rs 1 crore

Reaffirming their commitment to nurturing young Indian talent, Kolkata Knight Riders signed uncapped players Tejasvi Singh (Rs 3 crore), Kartik Tyagi (Rs 30 lakh), Prashant Solanki (Rs 30 lakh), Sarthak Ranjan (Rs 30 lakh) and Daksh Kamra (Rs 30 lakh).

Tejasvi impressed in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, including an unbeaten 53 off 19 balls against Karnataka, while Sarthak scored 449 runs in nine innings in the Delhi Premier League. Tyagi, part of India's U-19 World Cup-winning squad in 2020, has 26 wickets in 36 matches, and Solanki topped the wicket charts in the Maharashtra Premier League with 13 scalps.

Summing up the auction, head coach Abhishek Nayar said, 'We are happy with how the auction played out, especially in getting the players we had clearly identified at prices that worked for us. There was a lot of thought behind targeting domestic talent -- players who bring flexibility, experience, and strong recent performances. It also highlights the depth of Indian domestic cricket and the confidence teams have in these players to step up, even in their first season.'

KKR Squad for IPL 2026:

New players: Cameron Green (INR 25.2 crore), Matheesha Pathirana (INR 18 crore), Mustafizur Rahman (INR 9.2 crore), Tejasvi Singh (INR 3 crore), Finn Allen (INR 2 crore), Rachin Ravindra (INR 2 crore), Tim Seifert (INR 1.5 crore), Akash Deep (INR 1 crore), Rahul Tripathi (INR 75 lakh), Kartik Tyagi (INR 30 lakh), Prashant Solanki (INR 30 lakh), Sarthak Ranjan (INR 30 lakh), Daksh Kamra (INR 30 lakh)

Retained players: Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy. (ANI)