The DP World International League T20 (ILT20) entered a bold new era on Wednesday, staging its first-ever player auction in Dubai. With six franchises battling through the evening, records tumbled, regional cricket got a major boost, and stars from across the world sealed their places for Season 4 (December 2, 2025 – January 4, 2026).
Fletcher, Currie, Dawson headline blockbuster buys
West Indies power-hitter Andre Fletcher stole the show, landing a staggering USD 260,000 deal with MI Emirates, the highest-ever contract in ILT20 history. Close behind, England’s Scott Currie went for USD 250,000 to Dubai Capitals, while Liam Dawson fetched USD 170,000 from Gulf Giants.
The evening also shone bright on UAE pacers, with Junaid Siddique (Sharjah Warriorz, USD 170,000) and Muhammad Rohid (MI Emirates, USD 140,000) both drawing six-figure bids.
Gulf stars take centre stage
The auction wasn’t just about global names. It was also a historic moment for regional cricket:
- Faisal Khan became the first-ever Saudi Arabian player bought at an ILT20 auction (Desert Vipers, USD 10,000).
- Kuwait cricketers, including Anudeep Chenthamara, Meet Bhavsar, and Adnan Idrees, ensured their nation was well represented.
- Several UAE youngsters graduated from the ILT20 Development Tournament straight into franchise contracts.
How the auction worked
Franchises were allowed to spend between USD 1.5M – USD 2M, with squads of 19–21 players. Each roster had to include:
- 11 players from ICC Full Member nations
- 4 UAE cricketers
- 1 Saudi Arabia player
- 1 Kuwait player
- 2 from other Associate Nations
Franchise-wise full squads
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Spent: USD 1,457,000)
Auction Signings: Michael Pepper (40k), George Garton (10k), Brandon McMullen (110k), Ibrar Ahmed (22k), Ajay Kumar (10k), Adnan Idrees (10k), Abdul Manan Ali (10k), Mayank Chowdary (10k), Khary Pierre (10k), Shadley Van Schalkwyk (10k), Unmukt Chand (40k)
Retained/Direct: Liam Livingstone, Alishan Sharafu, Alex Hales, Sherfane Rutherford, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Phil Salt, Olly Stone
Desert Vipers (Spent: USD 1,617,500)
Auction Signings: Vriitya Aravind (10k), Fakhar Zaman (80k), Naseem Shah (80k), Qais Ahmad (40k), Sanjay Pahal (10k), Bilal Tahir (10k), Faisal Khan (10k), Hasan Nawaz (40k), Tom Bruce (80k), Matiullah Khan (10k), Tawanda Muyeye (40k), Faridoon Dawoodzai (10k)
Retained/Direct: Dan Lawrence, Max Holden, David Payne, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Lockie Ferguson, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sam Curran, Andries Gous
Dubai Capitals (Spent: USD 1,475,000)
Auction Signings: Muhammad Farooq (10k), Tymal Mills (80k), Scott Currie (250k), Mohammad Nabi (80k), Farhan Khan (10k), Anudeep Chenthamara (10k), Usman Najeeb (10k), Ritesh Grandhi (10k), Shayan Jahangir (10k), Rushil Ugarkar (10k), Naveen Bidiasee (10k), Toby Albert (10k), Akshay Wakhare (10k)\
Retained/Direct: Jordan Cox, Rovman Powell, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Waqar Salamkheil, Haider Ali, Muhammad Jawadullah, Jimmy Neesham
Gulf Giants (Spent: USD 1,471,000)
Auction Signings: Asif Khan (26k), Zuhaib Zubair (10k), Sean Dickson (10k), Tabraiz Shamsi (40k), Liam Dawson (170k), Fred Klaassen (40k), Haider Razzaq (50k), Meet Bhavsar (14k), Ishtiaq Ahmad (16k), Lorcan Tucker (10k), Chris Wood (40k), Tom Moores (40k), Ramon Simmonds (40k)
Retained/Direct: Aayan Afzal Khan, Mark Adair, Gerhard Erasmus, Blessing Muzarabani, Moeen Ali, James Vince, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz
MI Emirates (Spent: USD 1,868,000)
Auction Signings: Muhammad Rohid (140k), Jordan Thompson (48k), Naveen-ul-Haq (100k), Andre Fletcher (260k), Nosthush Kenjige (10k), Mohamed Shafeeq (10k), Zain Ul Abidin (10k), Usman Khan (10k), Ackeem Auguste (10k), Arab Gul (10k), Tajinder Dhillon (10k), Zahoor Khan (10k), Shakib Al Hasan (40k)
Retained/Direct: Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tom Banton, Romario Shepherd, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow, AM Ghazanfar, Muhammad Waseem, Kamindu Mendis
Sharjah Warriorz (Spent: USD 1,664,000)
Auction Signings: Junaid Siddique (170k), James Rew (10k), Nathan Sowter (100k), Dwaine Pretorius (120k), Jayden Seales (80k), Harmeet Singh (10k), Wasim Akram (55k), Mohamed Nawfer (14k), Mohammed Aslam (14k), Raees Ahmad (10k), Richard Ngarava (10k), Shubham Ranjane (10k), Ethan D’Souza (10k), Taskin Ahmed (80k), Abdul Salman Khan (10k)
Retained/Direct: Dinesh Karthik, Sikandar Raza, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tim David, Johnson Charles, Tim Southee, Saurabh Netravalkar
The road ahead
With over USD 9.5 million spent across six squads, ILT20’s first auction wasn’t just historic — it was a statement. From Fletcher’s mega payday to Faisal Khan’s Saudi breakthrough, the league has blended star power with regional promise like never before.
Come December 2 (UAE National Day), the fireworks will begin, with fans across the Emirates and beyond waiting to see if the auction millionaires can deliver when it matters most.
