The International League T20 Auction for its fourth season, scheduled for October 1, 2025, at the Four Seasons Hotel, Jumeirah Beach in Dubai, marks a landmark moment in the league’s history. For the first time, the International League T20 will abandon its direct signing model in favour of a competitive bidding process, bringing fresh intrigue and strategy to team building ahead of the tournament’s fourth season.
Six franchises eye big names at ILT20 Season 4 Auction
The six participating franchises – Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, MI Emirates and Sharjah Warriorz – will go head-to-head for over 300 players from 20+ countries. Each team has a purse of $1.5 million, with the option to spend up to $2 million including two wildcard signings worth $250,000 outside the auction. Squads must consist of 14-18 players, with a cap of six overseas players and a minimum of five UAE locals, ensuring a balance between global stardom and regional development.
The spotlight is firmly on Ravichandran Ashwin, who enters the auction at a base price of $120,000 following his international retirement. His availability has generated major interest, particularly among Indian fans. Alongside Ashwin, only four other Indian players- Piyush Chawla, Ankit Rajput, Siddharth Kaul and Priyank Panchal – feature in the final pool.
International stars expected to attract fierce bidding in the $80,000 category include Jason Roy (England), Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub (Pakistan), Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh), and Andre Fletcher (West Indies). Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi and Naveen-ul-Haq, along with Pakistan’s Naseem Shah and Mohammad Nawaz, also add depth to the overseas options.
Dubai Capitals and Gulf Giants hold strongest purses
Among the franchises, Dubai Capitals and Gulf Giants, both armed with $1.035 million, are expected to be the most aggressive bidders. Their strategies will likely involve securing marquee names early while retaining enough flexibility to grab undervalued talent in the later rounds.
Retentions shape ILT20 Auction strategies
Teams enter the auction with strong cores secured through pre-auction retentions. Power hitters like Andre Russell, Sunil Narine and Johnson Charles, as well as all-round stars such as Sam Curran, Wanindu Hasaranga and veteran pacer Tim Southee, have already been locked in. This means franchises will primarily target specialist roles – death bowlers, finishing all-rounders and local UAE stars – to complete balanced squads.
ILT20 Season 4 Auction details
- Date: October 1, 2025
- Start Time: 3:30 pm IST (India), 2:00 pm local time (UAE)
- Venue: Dubai
- Live Streaming: Zee5 (India) and ILT20’s official YouTube channel (Rest of the world)
