MI Emirates tops the ILT20 Season 5 auction, spending $1.39 million to secure a star‑packed lineup that includes Babar Azam, Wanindu Hasaranga and Phil Salt. The 34‑match tournament will kick off on Nov 21, and the auction, held at the ICC Academy Indoors on Oct 1, saw 200 players from 23 countries vying for a spot.
Three base‑price tiers—$80,000, $40,000 and $10,000—shaped the bidding frenzy. The top tier lured big names like Banton, Gurbaz, Livingstone, du Plessis, Bairstow, Moeen, Hales, Naseem and Chris Woakes. UAE, Kuwait and Saudi players entered at $10,000 each, a move that could give the local talent a shot at international exposure.
Franchises also carried a Right‑to‑Match option, allowing them to lock in a former Season 4 player, and must field at least two UAE players, two Afghanistan players and one other Associate Member per match. With MI Emirates already holding 11 ICC full‑member players, the squad will be a mix of seasoned internationals and rising stars.
Pre‑auction signings have already set the tone: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders secured Finn Allen, Jason Holder and Sunil Narine; Dubai Capitals added Marcus Stoinis and Mustafizur Rahman; Gulf Giants grabbed David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen. Desert Vipers, the defending champions, kept Andries Gous and Dan Lawrence while bringing in Mujeeb‑ur‑Rahman and Shimron Hetmyer.
With squads now in place, teams will fine‑tune strategies in the lead‑up to the first match on Nov 21 at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The auction’s outcome promises a high‑octane season that could rewrite franchise fortunes.