He showed his all-round value.
Former Gujarat Titans (GT) all-rounder Dasun Shanaka put on another decent all-round show during the International League T20 (ILT20) 2025/26 fixture between Desert Vipers and Dubai Capitals. Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, he contributed with both bat and ball.
Shanaka first played a handy cameo of 29 runs in 18 balls, including two boundaries and a maximum, at a strike rate of 161.11. His late knock at No.6 helped the Capitals post 166/4 in 20 overs after they were in some trouble at 94/4 in 13.2 overs in the first innings.
Later, the Sri Lankan all-rounder also excelled with the ball, taking two wickets for 19 runs in 1.4 overs, though he was a bit expensive. He bowled well in patches, but a few boundary-hitting balls inflated his economy, and he also bowled tough overs.
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Unfortunately, Dasun Shanaka’s all-round efforts went in vain, as Desert Vipers won the game by five wickets with two balls to spare. However, he surely boosted his chances of earning a bid at the IPL 2026 auction by showcasing his abilities with both bat and ball.
Dasun Shanaka has previously played for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL and was part of their squad last season as Glenn Phillips’ replacement. He was later released and will be available at the IPL 2026 auction, as he set his base price at INR 75 Lakhs.
Several teams want a pace-bowling all-rounder, someone who can whack pace in the lower order and consistently bowl a couple of overs. For instance, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) only have Jamie Overton for this role and wouldn’t mind having more options, while Delhi Capitals (DC) also require this player type.
Even Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who won’t have Andre Russell now, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who will need Romario Shepherd’s backup, and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who only have Brydon Carse for the role, need pace-bowling all-rounders for IPL 2026. Cameron Green will be expensive, and not every team has a budget enough to target him.
Hence, Dasun Shanaka can be an alternate for several franchises, and he might earn a decent bid at the IPL 2026 auction, given the lack of options in this department. Teams often prefer previous experience and international exposure for this role, and the Sri Lankan player ticks those boxes.
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