KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI )
The DP World International League T20 (ILT20) is set to introduce a player auction after three years of private team building by the six participating franchises, and rings in feelings of hope and excitement, especially for players from UAE and Associate cricket countries.
Speaking to Aletihad, an ILT20 official has said the auction could herald a significant shift in how teams will build their squads, especially as the September 30 auction will follow soon after the September 9-28 Asia Cup, which UAE is hosting as a neutral venue. The first ILT20 auction will allow the franchises to fill 78 squad spots – 13 per team – with a collective purse of $4.8 million.
This marks the first time the ILT20 will move to an auction model, a transition that Mike Fordham, the league’s Head of Cricket Operations, said was part of a long-term strategy. Similar to the Indian Premier League, teams were first given the choice to retain players of choice before putting names in the mix for all to bid and buy.
David White, the DP World ILT20 Chief Executive Officer, said, “The auction is a big milestone for the league as we continue to grow as a world-class T20 tournament. The auction will be a great opportunity for our franchises to add local and international firepower.”
Echoing the view of White, the Head of Cricket Operations, Mike Fordham, spoke to Aletihad on the significance of the auction and the pivot in strategy. “It was always intended we’d have a three-year cycle with the ILT20,” Fordham explained.
“Most players were initially on three-year contracts, so this was a natural time to try something different. We wanted to open up the league to new players and make it less of a closed shop, and we think an auction is the best way to do that.”
Associate nations like the UAE and Hong Kong are part of the six-nation 2025 Asia Cup, which India was to host, while the ILT20 rules mandate a minimum of two UAE players and two more from Associate countries. That means ILT20 still needs seven international players in the squad and hence carries the most global appeal.
This year’s edition begins early on December 2, coinciding with Eid Al Etihad, and ends on January 4, coinciding as always in a busy stretch on the cricketing calendar. The auction makes it more pertinent, said Fordham.
“It’s an exciting way for the teams to build their squads and gives fans something to follow closely. Depending on who registers, we could see some aggressive bidding, particularly for players who perform well in the Asia Cup, including those from the UAE,” he said.
The player registration window for the auction has now opened and will close on September 10. For the UAE players, the Development Tournament, which feeds the ILT20 and begins this month, is another opportunity now besides the Asia Cup to strike notice of their talent.