The leading cricketers of the UAE will be hoping to be part of bidding wars when the DP World ILT20 auction takes place at the ICC Academy in Dubai on Thursday.
Each of the six franchises must have four UAE players in their squad, meaning there are 24 contracts up for grabs. Within that quartet, at least one must be capped by the senior national team, and one under 23.
The minimum individual salary for all players is $10,000. As such, players will be hoping they get a handsome payday.
At the first ILT20 auction last year, West Indies batter Andre Fletcher received the top fee when he was signed for $260,000. Junaid Siddique attracted the biggest bid for a UAE player, earning $170,000 to play the season for Sharjah Warriorz.
All the domestic players had their chance to advertise their capabilities via the Development Tournament, which was won by Gulf Giants last week.
Still, it is not obvious who will be the most attractive of the local contenders this season.
Many of the leading players in the country might be unavailable as the tournament clashes with the penultimate phase of qualifying for the ODI World Cup.
The Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off has not yet been confirmed by the ICC, but teams have been told it will be from December 1-20.
The eight-team competition includes the four lowest-ranked sides in the Cricket World Cup League Two. The UAE are currently last.
Franchises and ILT20 officials have been hopeful it could be rescheduled. Some of the tri-series in the CWCL2 cycle have been moved to accommodate domestic T20 tournaments.
But the fact that those series have just three teams – rather than eight for the play-off – has allowed the organisers to be nimble.
Also, the play-off needs to be held promptly. It decides who will advance to the World Cup Qualifier, which will be staged in February and March of 2027.
It has left many players in a quandary. Given the potential riches on offer at the ILT20, some might be hoping they are not selected for the national team.
As such, many of the leading contenders for auction bids are outside of the team, such as the players below.
Muhammad Waseem
The best UAE player in each of the first four seasons of ILT20. Third in the list of career sixes in T20 internationals, just behind Indian great Rohit Sharma. A seasoned franchise cricketer around the globe.
And, crucially, he appears to be surplus to requirements for the UAE’s ODI team at just the right time, making him available for the entire season.
With all that going for him, Waseem should really be able to name his price – and still expect to end up at MI Emirates, who will be entitled to match any bid for him.
Ansh Tandon
Played the last of his handful of UAE matches three years ago, so he would be unlucky to be recalled now. The 24-year-old left-hander’s form in the development tournament was outstanding and should make him appealing for the franchises.
He hit 237 runs in the event, at a good rate, as part of Gulf Giants’ title win.
KS Bharat
He did not pull up many trees in the development event, but has an impressive CV to recommend him.
The wicketkeeper-batter played seven Tests for India, five seasons of IPL, and is not yet eligible to play for the UAE. As such, he is free and available for the ILT20 season.
Luqman Faisal
Made a striking first impression in the development event when he blazed 95 not out in just 38 balls for Sharjah Warriorz.
By the time his side exited in the semi-finals, he had hit the most sixes in the tournament and the equal most runs.
His credentials are enhanced by the fact he keeps wicket and is not yet eligible for the national team.
Ali Naseer
Sides have to select at least one local player who is under 23, and Naseer is the best qualified of any of them.
The all-rounder would have had high hopes for a bid, seeing as he had been out of the UAE team for the best part of two years.
But his availability is now in doubt again after he was recalled to the squad that is touring the United States.
Wali Mohammed
Arguably the find of the development event. A tall fast bowler with a rock-solid action, he was both the leading wicket-taker and the most economical of anyone who bowled any significant amount of overs.
He continued the Vipers’ excellent record for unearthing gems from domestic cricket – such as Khuzaima Tanveer in the past.
If Khuzaima is ruled out by UAE ODI duty, then Wali looks like an able replacement.
Alishan Sharafu
Inexplicably dropped from the UAE’s ODI side this summer, a couple of series after he was captain of the side.
His bank manager, for one, will be hoping his exile continues for a little while yet.
He is an outstanding T20 batter, and has been a mainstay for Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the past. It feels likely they will try to match whatever is bid for him.
Haider Razzaq
The fast bowler has already been the beneficiary of one bumper ILT20 payday. At last year’s auction, a bid of $50,000 took him to Gulf Giants.
They clearly like him; he distinguished himself at the business end of their development tournament title win, and they will have the right to match whatever is bid for him.
Sagar Kalyan
The player of the development tournament. He impressed with both with his weight of runs, as well as his ability to clear the boundary as soon as he arrived at the crease.
That is a skill that will be valued by the franchises if the trend continues of using UAE batters lower down the order when overs are running out.
Vriitya Aravind
His extended absence from the national team will feel like a blessing now, seeing as it makes players so much more attractive to ILT20 recruiters.
As much as the rules allow it, he has established himself as a good club man for Desert Vipers over his two-season association with them.
He will be hoping they go in for him again, as they did last year when they made him the first player to be signed in an ILT20 auction. He ended the season with a winner’s medal, too.
Junaid Shamsu
It feels almost certain Gulf Giants will want to take the burly batter, given his excellence in their development title win.
Of the 113 balls he faced in the tournament, he hit 15 for six. He won three player of the match awards and was outstanding in the final win over Desert Vipers.
Mohammed Rohid
Landed a massive $140,000 deal last year. He was only new to the national team setup at that point, and has fallen off their radar in ODI cricket, meaning he is likely to be available for the ILT20.
As such, MI Emirates, where he made his name initially, will likely want to bring him back into their colours.
