New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) Delhi Capitals (DC) have signed England all-rounder Rehan Ahmed as a replacement for his compatriot Ben Duckett for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season.

According to an official IPL media advisory, Rehan has been roped in for a fee of INR 75 lakh. The 21-year-old right-arm leg-spinner has represented England in all three formats, featuring in five Tests, nine ODIs, and 13 T20Is, and has taken a total of 49 international wickets so far.

Duckett had withdrawn from what would have been his maiden IPL stint just before the start of the tournament in order to focus on his England commitments following a challenging Ashes tour. The Capitals did not name an immediate replacement at the time, instead opting to reshuffle their batting order, with Pathum Nissanka opening alongside KL Rahul.

Rehan, who initially gained attention for his wrist-spin bowling, has also made significant progress with the bat. Playing for Leicestershire, he enjoyed an impressive 2025 County Championship campaign, scoring 760 runs at an average of 50.66, including five centuries, while also picking up 23 wickets at an average of 19.

He made waves earlier this year during the 2026 T20 World Cup for breaking crucial partnerships. Rehan has represented England in 13 T20Is, picking up 15 wickets. He also has experience in playing other global tournaments like the BBL and The Hundred.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Capitals have had a mixed start in IPL 2026. Right now, they have won three games and lost three, placing them fifth in the points table. New stars like Sameer Rizvi have played some great innings, and KL Rahul is also scoring well. However, the team has struggled in very close games, losing a match against the Gujarat Titans by just one run. They recently lost the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 55 runs.

The Axar Patel-led side will next face table toppers Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday.

–IANS

sds/bsk/