The ILT20 Season 5 Player Auction is taking place in Dubai on October 1, 2026, with some of the biggest names in T20 cricket entering the auction pool.
The auction will be held at the ICC Academy Indoors in Dubai, where six franchises will compete to complete their squads for the upcoming DP World ILT20 Season 5.
More than 200 players from 23 countries have been shortlisted, including major international names such as Babar Azam, Phil Salt, Tom Banton, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Wanindu Hasaranga, Alzarri Joseph, Faf du Plessis and Liam Livingstone.
ILT20 Auction 2026 Date and Venue
| Detail | Information |
| Event | DP World ILT20 Season 5 Player Auction |
| Date | October 1, 2026 |
| Time | 1 PM GST |
| Venue | ICC Academy Indoors, Dubai |
| Players | More than 200 |
| Countries represented | 23 |
| Franchises | 6 |
| Top base price | USD 80,000 |
| Live stream | Official ILT20 YouTube Channel |
| India streaming | ZEE5 |
Which Players Are in the ILT20 Auction?
The Season 5 auction features a strong group of international T20 players.
Some of the headline names include:
Babar Azam
Phil Salt
Tom Banton
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Wanindu Hasaranga
Alzarri Joseph
Faf du Plessis
Liam Livingstone
Jonny Bairstow
Moeen Ali
Alex Hales
Naseem Shah
Fazalhaq Farooqi
Chris Woakes
Dasun Shanaka
The player pool also includes several UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia players who will be important for meeting the league’s squad requirements.
Babar Azam Headlines the ILT20 Auction
One of the biggest talking points is Babar Azam’s entry into the ILT20 auction pool.
The Pakistan batter is among the players listed in the USD 80,000 base-price category.
Other players in the highest base-price bracket include Phil Salt, Tom Banton, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Wanindu Hasaranga and Alzarri Joseph.
ILT20 Auction Base Prices
Players have been divided into three base-price categories:
| Base Price | Examples of Players |
| USD 80,000 | Babar Azam, Phil Salt, Faf du Plessis, Liam Livingstone, Wanindu Hasaranga |
| USD 40,000 | Shadab Khan, Ibrahim Zadran, Kusal Perera, Tabraiz Shamsi, Andre Fletcher |
| USD 10,000 | Will Smeed, Reeza Hendricks, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Ish Sodhi, Matt Potts |
How Much Money Does Each ILT20 Team Have?
Each franchise enters the auction with a USD 1.3 million purse, plus any amount left from the USD 700,000 pre-auction signing allocation.
The available purses differ between franchises.
| Franchise | Auction Purse |
| MI Emirates | USD 1.39 million |
| Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | USD 1.365 million |
| Desert Vipers | USD 1.305 million |
| Gulf Giants | USD 1.305 million |
| Dubai Capitals | USD 1.30 million |
| Sharjah Warriorz | USD 1.30 million |
ILT20 Auction Rules for Season 5
The six franchises have to follow specific squad-composition rules.
Each team must finish the auction with:
Minimum 18 players
Maximum 23 players
At least 11 players from ICC Full Member countries
At least four Afghanistan players
At least one Ireland player
At least four UAE players
At least one Kuwait player
At least one Saudi Arabia player
At least one additional Associate Member player
Teams must also spend at least USD 1.5 million and no more than USD 2 million during the auction and applicable recruitment process, excluding the additional Wildcard provision.
What Is the Right to Match Rule in ILT20?
Each franchise has four Right to Match (RTM) options during the auction.
These cover different player categories, including:
A Full Member player who represented the franchise in Season 4
An Associate player who represented the franchise in Season 4
A UAE player who represented the franchise in Season 4 or its Development Squad
A Kuwait or Saudi Arabia player who represented the franchise in Season 4
The RTM rule gives teams an opportunity to retain eligible players during the auction.
UAE Players to Watch at the ILT20 Auction
The auction is also important for UAE cricket because UAE players are required in every franchise squad.
Players including:
Muhammad Waseem
Junaid Siddique
Haider Ali
Ayan Afzal Khan
Alishan Sharafu
Khuzaima Tanveer
are among the UAE names entering the auction.
Under the Season 5 recruitment rules, UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia players could not be retained by teams, creating the possibility of bidding for players who featured in previous ILT20 seasons.
ILT20 Auction 2026 Live Streaming
Cricket fans can watch the ILT20 Season 5 Player Auction live through the official ILT20 YouTube channel.
For viewers in India, the auction will also be available on ZEE5.
ILT20 Auction Live Streaming Details
| Region | Where to Watch |
| UAE and international viewers | Official ILT20 YouTube Channel |
| India | ZEE5 |
When Will ILT20 Season 5 Start?
The DP World ILT20 Season 5 is scheduled to take place from November 21 to December 20, 2026.
The tournament will be played at three UAE venues:
Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Dubai International Stadium
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
The fixtures are to be announced separately.
ILT20 Season 5 Current Pre-Auction Signings
Several franchises have already made pre-auction signings.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
- Finn Allen
- Jason Holder
- Matthew Tromp
- Sunil Narine
Desert Vipers
- Andries Gous
- Dan Lawrence
- Mujeeb-ur-Rahman
- Shimron Hetmyer
Dubai Capitals
- Marcus Stoinis
- Mustafizur Rahman
- Noor Ahmad
- Rovman Powell
Gulf Giants
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Blessing Muzarabani
- David Miller
- Heinrich Klaasen
MI Emirates
- Nicholas Pooran
- Rashid Khan
- Romario Shepherd
- Sherfane Rutherford
Sharjah Warriorz
- Adam Milne
- James Vince
- Waqar Salamkheil
- Sikandar Raza
These pre-auction signings mean the October 1 auction will focus on filling the remaining squad positions and meeting the league’s composition requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When is the ILT20 2026 auction?
- The ILT20 Season 5 Player Auction is scheduled for October 1, 2026, at the ICC Academy Indoors in Dubai. It starts at 1 PM GST.
2. Where will the ILT20 auction take place?
- The auction will be held at the ICC Academy Indoors in Dubai.
3. How many players are in the ILT20 auction?
- More than 200 players from 23 countries have been shortlisted for the Season 5 auction.
4. Is Babar Azam in the ILT20 auction?
- Yes. Babar Azam among the players listed for the ILT20 Season 5 auction, entering in the USD 80,000 base-price category.
5. What is the highest ILT20 auction base price?
- The highest base price is USD 80,000. Other base-price categories are USD 40,000 and USD 10,000.
6. Which ILT20 team has the biggest auction purse?
- MI Emirates enter the auction with USD 1.39 million, the largest purse among the six franchises.
7. Where can I watch the ILT20 auction live?
- The auction will be streamed on the official ILT20 YouTube channel. Viewers in India can watch it on ZEE5.
8. When will ILT20 Season 5 be played?
- The fifth ILT20 season scheduled for November 21 to December 20, 2026, across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
Final Takeaway
The ILT20 Auction 2026 in Dubai brings together more than 200 players competing for places across the league’s six franchises.
With Babar Azam, Phil Salt, Faf du Plessis, Liam Livingstone, Wanindu Hasaranga and other T20 stars in the player pool, the auction is an important step toward finalising the Season 5 squads.
Beyond the headline names, the franchise purse limits, UAE player requirements, RTM options and squad-composition rules will also shape the auction.
The auction begins at 1 PM GST on October 1 at ICC Academy Indoors in Dubai, with live coverage available through the official ILT20 YouTube channel and ZEE5 in India.