Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi, who earned his maiden Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) contract after Delhi Capitals (DC) secured him for a whopping INR 8.4 crores at the auction, turned batter and flaunted his hitting abilities by registering a match-winning century in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT 2025-26).
During the match against Hyderabad today (January 8), Nabi managed to register his maiden career-century to help his team J&K out of a sticky spot and propelled them to a stunning victory. With his side down to 90/7 in their chase of 269, Auqib Nabi slammed an 82-ball 114, comprising 10 boundaries and seven maximums, to secure the contest by three wickets.
Nabi received support from the other end from Vanshaj Sharma’s 69 as the duo scripted a massive 182-run stand for the eighth wicket.
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While Nabi’s recent heroics with the bat will be an added advantage for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026, with the ball too, he has been extremely consistent.
Nabi has been one of the standout performers in India’s domestic scene. In the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, he claimed 44 wickets, finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker. He also made headlines in the 2025 Duleep Trophy, becoming one of the few Indian bowlers to take four wickets in four balls in first-class cricket.
In the ongoing season too, Auqib Nabi is delivering the goods with the ball across all formats. He has been the leading wicket-taker for his side in white-ball formats – in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT 2025) and the VHT 2025-26. The 29-year-old took 15 wickets in 7 innings at an impressive average of 13.26 and a tidy economy of 7.41 in SMAT while he has already managed 14 scalps in 7 games in the domestic 50-over tournament.
Nabi’s form with the ball along with his recent batting heroics will make him a key cog in the DC setup in the coming IPL 2026 season as they eye their maiden IPL title.
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