Babar Azam, Phil Salt, Tom Banton, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Wanindu Hasaranga and others are in the mix for the ILT20 Season 5 auction, taking place Thursday at the ICC Academy Indoors in Dubai.
More than 200 players from 23 countries have signed up, including 11 ICC Full Member cricketers, 10 Associate members, and Gulf‑region stars like UAE’s Muhammad Waseem and Junaid Siddique. The base‑price tiers are $80,000, $40,000 and $10,000, with the $80,000 bracket hosting most of the T20 heavyweights.
Franchises—MI Emirates, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Gulf Giants, Dubai Capitals, and Sharjah Warriorz—will start with purses ranging from $1.30 million to $1.39 million and must spend between $1.5 million and $2 million to build squads of 18‑23 players. Each team needs at least 11 Full Member players, four Afghan and UAE players, and the mandated Associate slots.
The $10,000 bracket is set to be a battleground, as UAE, Kuwait and Saudi players, who can’t be retained from last season, offer a low‑cost but high‑impact option. Teams can also deploy a Right‑to‑Match on a UAE player who represented them in Season 4 or the recent ILT20 Development Tournament, giving franchises a tactical edge.
As the auction opens, teams will scramble to secure their 11 Full Member spots, four Afghan and UAE slots, and the obligatory Associate players, with every move now setting the stage for a competitive opening at the season’s launch in early 2027.