Afghanistan pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi became the most expensive player in International League T20 (ILT20) Player Auction history, snapped up by MI Emirates for a massive $380,000. This wasn’t just a big deal, it was an absolutely wild day for player valuations in Dubai.
Farooqi Leads a Record-Shattering Day for ILT20 Deals
Farooqi is set to join MI Emirates for his fifth consecutive season, showing real loyalty there. And get this: his $380,000 deal didn’t just break *a* record, it shattered the auction record three times in a single day! Earlier on Thursday, Liam Livingstone set a new high mark when Gulf Giants snagged him for $350,000. Before Livingstone, the Gulf Giants used their Right-to-Match option to hold onto Afghanistan batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz for $310,000, making him the priciest player at that moment. And before Gurbaz, Faf du Plessis held the record, joining Dubai Capitals for $300,000. Talk about a bidding war escalating fast!
Babar Azam’s Steal of a Deal and Other Key Signings
While Farooqi’s price tag was eye-popping, the real head-scratcher came with Babar Azam. The star was bought by Desert Vipers for his *base price* of just $80,000. Seriously? This is his first season in the ILT20, and for a player of his caliber, that feels like an absolute steal. Gulf Giants also made a strong move, picking up West Indies pacer Alzarri Joseph for $230,000. Other notable signings included Allah Ghazanfar for $150,000, Mohammad Nabi for $140,000, and Dasun Shanaka for $100,000.
The Season 5 Player Auction, held in Dubai on Thursday, October 1, featured more than 200 players from 23 countries in the pool. Big names like Babar Azam, Phil Salt, Tom Banton, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Wanindu Hasaranga, Alzarri Joseph, Faf du Plessis, and Liam Livingstone were all in the mix. The six franchises entered the auction with purses ranging from $1.3 million to $1.39 million, aiming to build squads of between 18 and 23 players. Each franchise had at least $1.3 million, plus any unused funds from $700,000 available for direct signings and retentions. It was a high-stakes day for team building, and these moves are definitely shaping up the season to come!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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