Fazalhaq Farooqi cemented his place in ILT20 history during the Season 5 Player Auction in Dubai on October 1, becoming the most expensive signing to date. MI Emirates secured the Afghanistan pacer for a record-breaking $380,000, comfortably surpassing the previous high of $260,000 set by Andre Fletcher in the tournament’s fourth season. Farooqi’s price eclipsed the previous record of USD 260,000, set by Andre Fletcher and MI Emirates in Season 4.
Farooqi was the centerpiece of a competitive auction where four players cleared the previous record. English all-rounder Liam Livingstone was snapped up by the Gulf Giants for $350,000, while the Giants also exercised their Right-to-Match (RTM) option to retain Rahmanullah Gurbaz for $310,000. Additionally, Faf du Plessis joined the Dubai Capitals in a deal worth $300,000.
The defending champions, Desert Vipers, focused on bolstering their roster with Pakistan talent, acquiring Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Fakhar Zaman, and Shadab Khan for their $80,000 base prices. This season marks Babar Azam’s debut in the league, while Naseem and Fakhar continue their tenure with the Vipers.
Domestic talent also saw significant investment, with Muhammad Waseem becoming the highest-paid UAE player in the league’s history after MI Emirates retained him via RTM for $210,000. Other local stars included Alishan Sharafu, who earned $110,000 from the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, while Muhammad Rohid and Aayan Khan secured $95,000 each from the Knight Riders and Dubai Capitals, respectively.
The auction highlighted a growing international footprint, particularly with players from Associate nations. USA’s Amshi De Silva went to the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders for $100,000, and his teammate Hassan Khan joined the Dubai Capitals for $90,000. Scotland’s Brandon McMullen moved to the Sharjah Warriorz for $80,000, and Namibia’s David Wiese secured a $70,000 contract with the Gulf Giants.
The Knight Riders rounded out their squad with signings such as Moeen Ali ($80,000), alongside Afghanistan’s Gulbadin Naib ($75,000) and Arab Gul ($80,000). Meanwhile, MI Emirates brought in Chris Jordan for $170,000 and Lizaad Williams for $110,000, while also using an RTM to retain Allah Ghazanfar for $150,000. Retentions & Direct Signings: Finn Allen, Jason Holder, Matthew Tromp, Sunil Narine. Retentions & Direct Signings: Andries Gous, Dan Lawrence, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Shimron Hetmyer.
The Sharjah Warriorz heavily invested in their lineup, bringing in Richard Gleeson for $180,000, Mohammad Nabi for $140,000, and Paul Walter for $110,000. Gulf Giants completed their roster with high-value additions, notably Alzarri Joseph for $230,000. Dubai Capitals utilized their RTM on Dasun Shanaka for $100,000 and added Max Holden for an identical sum.
The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders finished with a total spend of $1,549,000. Their auction haul featured Usman Tariq ($80,000), Ibrar Ahmed ($46,000), Andre Fletcher ($40,000), and a variety of players including Ajay Kumar, Colin Munro, and Michael Pepper, each at $40,000. They also signed Qais Ahmad for $38,000 and several others like Jakeem Pollard and Lorcan Tucker for $10,000. Nilansh Keswani (USD 10,000), Saleem Safi (USD 10,000), Bilal Tahir (USD 10,000), Wali Muhammad (USD 10,000).
Desert Vipers, with a total expenditure of $1,544,000, bolstered their ranks with David Payne for $150,000, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer for $75,000, and Vriitya Aravind for $70,000. Additional pickups included Aneurin Donald, Abdullah Ahmadzai, and Joe Clarke at $40,000 each, alongside lower-bracket signings to flesh out their squad. Auction Signings: David Payne (USD 150,000), Fakhar Zaman (USD 80,000), Naseem Shah (USD 80,000), Babar Azam (USD 80,000), Shadab Khan (USD 80,000), Khuzaima Bin Tanveer (USD 75,000), Vriitya Aravind (USD 70,000), Aneurin Donald (USD 40,000), Abdullah Ahmadzai (USD 40,000), Joe Clarke (USD 40,000), Nangeyalia Kharote (USD 28,000), Sanjay Pahal (USD 22,000), Harry Tector (USD 12,000), Ishtiaq Ahmed (USD 12,000).
Dubai Capitals ended the session with a total spend of $1,834,000. Their strategy included signing Sediqullah Atal for $70,000, Mark Adair for $55,000, and a group including Karim Janat, Luke Wood, and Tom Moores at $40,000 apiece. Haider Ali was acquired for $38,000, with several others rounding out the team at $10,000 each.
The Gulf Giants topped their budget at $1,972,000, adding Shamar Joseph for $80,000, Ibrahim Zadran for $65,000, and Tabraiz Shamsi for $40,000, among many others. The Sharjah Warriorz spent $1,720,000, securing Adil Rashid, Tom Banton, and Craig Overton at $80,000 each, while MI Emirates’ $2,000,000 spending spree included James Coles ($100,000), Jonny Bairstow ($80,000), and various depth players to finalize their campaign lineup.
