Today's Edition
ALLAN JACOB (ABU DHABI)
Excitement is mounting ahead of the player auctions for the second biggest T20 league in the world with stars like Babar Azam, Phil Salt, Tom Banton, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Wanindu Hasarangaand Faf du Plessis going under the hammer in Dubai on Thursday.
Season 5 of the DP World International T20 League gets underway on November 22 but 400 cricketers from 23 countries will feature in the auction before the action begins on the pitch in two months’ time.
Players have been grouped into price slots of $80,000, 40,000, and 10,000, according to the organizers. Big names like Babar Azam and Phil Salt, who have been here before and have made their mark with various teams, will figure in the top bracket.
ICC Academy Indoors will host the auction from 1pm GST with the base purse for each franchise set at $1.3 million. They may also use any money left from the $700,000 allocated for pre-auction signings. The teams are mandated to spend at least $1.3 million and can spend a maximum of $2 million.
MI Emirates lead the pack with the biggest purse at $1.39 million. Abu Dhabi Knight Riders has $1.365 million, Gulf Giants and Desert Vipers have $1.3 million each, and Sharjah Warriorz have $1.3 million in their kitty.
