Andre Fletcher becomes the most expensive player at ILT20 auction

Dubai: In a historic first-ever DP World ILT20 Player Auction, West Indies power-hitter Andre Fletcher stole the spotlight, emerging as the most expensive player, securing a hefty $260,000 deal with MI Emirates. The franchise outbid stiff competition to bring Fletcher back for a fourth consecutive season.

Hot on his heels was England’s young pacer Scott Currie, who fetched $250,000 from Dubai Capitals, highlighting the growing value of emerging talent. Among fast bowlers, England’s Liam Dawson led the chart with a $170,000 deal with Gulf Giants, while Afghanistan’s Naveen-ul-Haq joined Fletcher at MI Emirates for $100,000.

It was a landmark day for UAE cricket, with several local players attracting major interest. Junaid Siddique became Sharjah Warriorz’s most expensive signing at $170,000 via Right-to-Match. Fellow UAE pacer Muhammad Rohid also earned a six-figure sum, returning to MI Emirates for $140,000 (RTM) — a huge moment for the domestic cricket scene.

Several standout performers from the ILT20 Development Tournament were rewarded with franchise contracts. Haider Razzaq, the tournament’s top wicket-taker and a title-winner with Sharjah Warriorz Development, was picked by Gulf Giants for $50,000. Sanjay Pahal, Player of the Tournament, was retained by Desert Vipers for $10,000, while Raees Ahmed, among the top three run-scorers, went back to Sharjah Warriorz at his base price of $10,000.

The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders went all out for Scotland’s Brandon McMullen at $110,000, and bolstered their lineup with Michael Pepper, Unmukt Chand (both at $40,000), and George Garton ($10,000). Their Associate Nation picks included Kuwait’s Adnan Idrees ($10,000) and UAE’s Ibrar Ahmad ($22,000, RTM), Ajay Kumar, and Abdul Manan Ali (both $10,000).

Desert Vipers made key acquisitions, snapping up Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman and Naseem Shah at their base price of $80,000 each. Afghanistan’s Qais Ahmed ($40,000), Scotland’s Tom Bruce ($80,000), and Pakistan’s Hasan Nawaz ($40,000) also joined the Vipers. From the Associate Nations, they brought in UAE’s Vriitya Aravind, Kuwait’s Bilal Tahir, and Saudi Arabia’s Faisal Khan—the latter becoming the first-ever Saudi player signed at the ILT20 auction—all at $10,000.

Dubai Capitals, following their big splash for Currie, added experience with Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi and England’s Tymal Mills, both signed for $80,000. They rounded out their squad with UAE’s Farhan Khan and Muhammad Farooq ($10,000 each), along with Kuwait’s Anudeep Chenthamara and Saudi Arabia’s Usman Najeeb.

The Gulf Giants became the first franchise to complete their squad, acquiring South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi and Netherlands’ Fred Klaassen for $40,000 each. England’s Sean Dickson ($10,000), Chris Wood, and Ramon Simmonds ($40,000 each) added depth to their bowling unit. From the Associate pool, they signed Kuwait’s Meet Bhavsar ($14,000) and Saudi Arabia’s Ishtiaq Ahmad ($16,000), with UAE’s Asif Khan ($26,000) and Zuhaib Zubair ($10,000, RTM) further strengthening their local contingent.

Alongside their headline signing of Fletcher, MI Emirates brought in Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan ($40,000) and England’s Jordan Thompson ($48,000). They also tapped into the Associate Nations pool, signing USA’s Nosthush Kenjige, UAE’s Zahoor Khan, Kuwait’s Mohammad Shafiq, and Saudi Arabia’s Zain ul Abidin—all at $10,000 each.

Sharjah Warriorz made a statement by picking up South African all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius ($120,000) and England’s Nathan Sowter ($100,000). They added Jayden Seales and Taskin Ahmed ($80,000 each) to bolster their pace attack. Local pacer Wasim Akram was acquired for $55,000, while Kuwait’s Mohamed Nawfer and Mohammed Aslam ($14,000 each) joined a lineup also featuring UAE’s Ethan D’Souza, Zimbabwe’s Richard Ngarava, and USA’s Harmeet Singh ($10,000 each).

The ILT20 Season 4 is set to begin on December 2 with the final on January 4, 2026. The tournament will feature six teams competing across 34 matches.

Auction Signings: Michael Pepper ($40,000), George Garton ($10,000), Brandon McMullen ($110,000), Ibrar Ahmed ($22,000), Ajay Kumar ($10,000), Adnan Idrees Muhammad ($10,000), Abdul Manan Ali ($10,000), Mayank Chowdary ($10,000), Khary Pierre ($10,000), Shadley Van Schalkwyk ($10,000), Unmukt Chand ($40,000)

Retentions + Direct Signings: Liam Livingstone, Alishan Sharafu, Alex Hales, Sherfane Rutherford, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Phil Salt, Olly Stone

Auction Signings: Vriitya Aravind ($10,000), Fakhar Zaman ($80,000), Naseem Shah ($80,000), Qais Ahmad ($40,000), Sanjay Pahal ($10,000), Bilal Tahir ($10,000), Faisal Khan ($10,000), Hasan Nawaz ($40,000), Tom Bruce ($80,000), Matiullah Khan ($10,000), Tawanda Muyeye ($40,000), Faridoon Dawoodzai ($10,000)

Retentions + Direct Signings: Dan Lawrence, Max Holden, David Payne, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Lockie Ferguson, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sam Curran, Andries Gous

Auction Signings: Muhammad Farooq ($10,000), Tymal Mills ($80,000), Scott Currie ($250,000), Mohammad Nabi ($80,000), Farhan Khan ($10,000), Anudeep Chenthamara ($10,000), Usman Najeeb ($10,000), Ritesh Mallikarjuna Grandhi ($10,000), Shayan Jahangir ($10,000), Rushil Ugarkar ($10,000), Naveen Bidiasee ($10,000), Toby Albert ($10,000), Akshay Wakhare ($10,000)

Retentions + Direct Signings: Jordan Matthew Cox, Rovman Powell, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Waqar Salamkheil, Haider Ali, Muhammad Jawadullah, Jimmy Neesham

Auction Signings: Asif Khan ($26,000), Zuhaib Zubair ($10,000), Sean Dickson ($10,000), Tabraiz Shamsi ($40,000), Liam Dawson ($170,000), Fred Klaassen ($40,000), Haider Razzaq ($50,000), Meet Bhavsar ($14,000), Ishtiaq Ahmad ($16,000), Lorcan Tucker ($10,000), Chris Wood ($40,000), Tom Moores ($40,000), Ramon Simmonds ($40,000)

Retentions + Direct Signings: Aayan Afzal Khan, Mark Adair, Gerhard Erasmus, Blessing Muzarabani, Moeen Ali, James Vince, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Auction Signings: Muhammad Rohid ($140,000), Jordan Thompson ($48,000), Naveen-ul-Haq ($100,000), Andre Fletcher ($260,000), Nosthush Kenjige ($10,000), Mohamed Shafeeq ($10,000), Zain Ul Abidin ($10,000), Usman Khan ($10,000), Ackeem Auguste ($10,000), Arab Gul ($10,000), Tajinder Dhillon ($10,000), Zahoor Khan ($10,000), Shakib Al Hasan ($40,000)

Retentions + Direct Signings: Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tom Banton, Romario Shepherd, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow, AM Ghazanfar, Muhammad Waseem, Kamindu Mendis

Auction Signings: Junaid Siddique ($170,000), James Rew ($10,000), Nathan Sowter ($100,000), Dwaine Pretorius ($120,000), Jayden Seales ($80,000), Harmeet Singh ($10,000), Wasim Akram ($55,000), Mohamed Nawfer Mohamed Aslam ($14,000), Raees Ahmad ($10,000), Richard Ngarava ($10,000), Shubham Ranjane ($10,000), Ethan D’Souza ($10,000), Taskin Ahmed ($80,000), Abdul Salman Khan ($10,000)

Retentions + Direct Signings: Dinesh Karthik, Sikandar Raza, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tim David, Johnson Charles, Tim Southee, Saurabh Netravalkar