Babar Azam joins Desert Vipers for maiden ILT20 stint at $80,000 base price
Babar Azam joins Desert Vipers for maiden ILT20 stint at $80,000 base price
DUBAI: Babar Azam will make his debut in the International League T20 after the Desert Vipers signed him for $80,000 at the player auction on Thursday. The defending champions secured the Pakistan star at his base price with no rival franchise bidding against them.
The Babar Azam Desert Vipers deal was confirmed at the auction held at the ICC Academy in Dubai, where more than 200 players from 23 countries were up for grabs ahead of Season 5.
“Babar Azam, the Pakistan superstar, has signed for Desert Vipers in the upcoming DP World ILT20 Season 5,” the franchise announced. “Babar, 31, was bought for US$80,000 at today’s auction in Dubai.”
How the Desert Vipers deal happened
Babar was one of four Pakistan players picked up by the Vipers. Naseem Shah, Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan also joined the franchise, each at the $80,000 base price. Naseem and Fakhar have represented the Vipers before, but Babar is new to the tournament.
The absence of a bidding war kept the price low. Despite Babar’s profile, no other team pushed the bidding beyond the opening figure, so the Vipers closed the deal at the minimum.
The Vipers are the defending champions, and the Pakistan quartet will be part of their title defence. Shadab, Naseem and Fakhar bring franchise experience with them, while Babar’s batting pedigree needs little introduction: his 122 from 59 balls against South Africa in Centurion in 2021 remains one of Pakistan’s finest T20 international innings, and his 474 runs at the 2019 World Cup broke Pakistan’s record for runs in a single edition.
What ILT20 Season 5 looks like
The fifth edition of the tournament is scheduled from November 22 to December 20, 2026, with 34 matches across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Players were placed in three base-price brackets of $80,000, $40,000 and $10,000, and each franchise worked with a purse of $1.3 million.
The auction produced record spending at the top end. Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi became the most expensive buy in ILT20 history when MI Emirates paid $380,000 for him, breaking the previous record of $260,000. England’s Liam Livingstone went to the Gulf Giants for $350,000, Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz was retained by the Giants for $310,000 through a Right-to-Match option, and Faf du Plessis joined the Dubai Capitals for $300,000.
UAE players also drew strong interest, with Muhammad Waseem becoming the highest-priced UAE player in the tournament’s history at $210,000.
Frequently asked questions
How much did the Desert Vipers pay for Babar Azam?
The Vipers bought Babar for his base price of $80,000, with no rival bids pushing the price higher.
When does ILT20 Season 5 start?
The season is scheduled from November 22 to December 20, 2026, with matches in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
Which other Pakistan players joined the Desert Vipers?
Naseem Shah, Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan were also picked up by the defending champions, all at the $80,000 base price.
Where will ILT20 Season 5 matches be played?
The tournament will be staged at venues in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, with 34 matches in total.
