Pakistan cricket star Babar Azam will be part of the upcoming DP World International League T20 (ILT20) season in the UAE, with the former Pakistan captain included in the list of players ahead of the tournament’s Player Auction.
The announcement has added another major international name to the UAE’s IPL-style T20 competition, which features six teams.
Global T20 Stars Included in Player List
Babar Azam is among several internationally recognised T20 players included in the auction list.
Other major names include:
- Phil Salt
- Tom Banton
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Alzarri Joseph
- Faf du Plessis
- Liam Livingstone
Their inclusion is expected to add significant international experience and interest to the upcoming ILT20 season.
ILT20 Player Auction on October 1
The Player Auction is scheduled to take place at the ICC Academy Indoors in Dubai on Thursday, October 1.
More than 200 players from 23 countries will be part of the auction process.
The player pool includes representatives from:
- 11 full-member cricket nations
- ILT20 partner countries Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
- 10 additional associate-member nations
The wide international representation highlights the global reach of the UAE-based T20 competition.
Three Price Slabs for Players
Players participating in the auction have been divided into three base-price categories:
- $80,000
- $40,000
- $10,000
Players will enter the auction according to the applicable price slab.
UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Players Enter at $10,000
All eligible players from the UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia will enter the auction at the $10,000 base price.
There are also specific rules governing the participation and retention of players from these countries this season.
According to the auction regulations:
- No UAE, Saudi Arabia or Kuwait player can be retained by teams this season.
- Each team can use one Right to Match (RTM) option on a UAE player.
- The RTM can be used for a UAE player who represented the same team in the previous season or played for the franchise in the recently concluded DP World ILT20 Development Tournament.
Teams Receive $1.3 Million Auction Purse
Each ILT20 franchise will enter the auction with a purse of $1.3 million, in addition to any remaining funds from the $700,000 allocated earlier for Pre-Auction Signings.
This will give the six franchises room to strengthen their squads during the auction while competing for some of the biggest names in T20 cricket.
Babar Azam Adds Star Power to ILT20
The inclusion of Babar Azam alongside established T20 players such as Phil Salt, Faf du Plessis and Wanindu Hasaranga adds further international appeal to the UAE’s ILT20.
With more than 200 players set to go under the hammer, the October 1 auction will play an important role in shaping the squads for the upcoming season.