Test captain Babar Azam and 16 other Pakistani cricketers have entered the player pool for the ILT20 auction on October 1. The bidding will take place at the ICC Academy Indoors ahead of the fifth International League T20 season. Meanwhile, more than 200 cricketers from 23 countries will feature in the pool. The pool also covers 11 ICC Full Members, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia (the league’s partner countries), and 10 other associate nations.
Among the Pakistanis, Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah, Usman Tariq, Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan have all put their names forward. Hassan Nawaz, Muhammad Nawaz, Saim Ayub, Khushdil Shah, Maaz Sadaqat and Sahibzada Farhan are also in the mix. However, the pool has been split into three base-price categories of $80,000, $40,000 and $10,000. Babar, Fakhar, Naseem, Farhan and Usman Tariq sit in the top $80,000 category.
Babar heads the Pakistani group in the top price bracket. Shadab, Maaz Sadaqat, Hassan Nawaz and Hunain are among the players in the $40,000 bracket. Therefore, franchises will have plenty of Pakistani talent to consider. Fans will therefore watch closely to see where each player lands.
Furthermore, prominent overseas players such as Phil Salt, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone are available. Faf du Plessis, Alex Hales, Chris Woakes, Wanindu Hasaranga and Alzarri Joseph will also enter the bidding. Moreover, the mix of Full Member and associate players gives teams plenty of options. Instead of relying on one region, sides can build squads from many countries.
Additionally, the UAE will host the fifth season from November 22 to December 20. Each franchise must select between 18 and 23 players. Their squads must include minimum quotas for Full Member, UAE, Saudi Arabian, Kuwaiti and other associate players. Franchises must balance their budgets with the quota rules, so every pick matters.
The pool includes names from established cricketing nations and smaller associate teams. Each decision on October 1 will shape the squads heading into November. Teams that spend wisely across the three price categories could gain an edge. Still, the ILT20 auction will show which franchises land the biggest names.
