Dubai, Aug 11 (IANS) Top T20 superstars David Miller, Finn Allen, Heinrich Klaasen and Marcus Stoinis will headline the star-studded pre-auction signings for the fifth season of the International League T20 (ILT20), with the six franchises strengthening their squads ahead of the player auction on October 1.
New Zealand opener Finn Allen will join Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, while South African batting duo Miller and Klaasen have been signed by Gulf Giants. Australian all-rounder Stoinis will return to the competition with Dubai Capitals after a three-year gap.
Allen, Miller and Klaasen will make their maiden appearances in the ILT20, while Stoinis returns to the league after previously featuring in its inaugural season.
Several established ILT20 names will also return to their Season 4 franchises. Jason Holder and Sunil Narine will continue with Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, while defending champions Desert Vipers have retained Shimron Hetmyer, along with Andries Gous and Dan Lawrence.
Dubai Capitals have retained Mustafizur Rahman and Rovman Powell, while MI Emirates will once again have the services of Nicholas Pooran, Rashid Khan and Romario Shepherd. Sikandar Raza will return to Sharjah Warriorz.
Gulf Giants have retained Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai and fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani.
Desert Vipers, meanwhile, have added Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, who played for Dubai Capitals in Season 4. MI Emirates have signed West Indies all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford, while Sharjah Warriorz have brought in Adam Milne, James Vince and Waqar Salamkheil.
Allen is among the most destructive openers in T20 cricket. The 27-year-old smashed a 33-ball century against South Africa in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal. He has scored 1,663 runs in 62 T20Is for New Zealand at a strike rate of 170.73, including three centuries.
Miller, one of South Africa’s most experienced T20 batters, has accumulated 2,804 runs in 140 T20Is at an average of 33.78 and a strike rate of 141.40.
Klaasen has scored 1,000 T20I runs for South Africa in 58 matches and is regarded as one of the most destructive batters in the format, particularly against spin. He has also amassed close to 7,000 runs across nearly 300 T20 appearances.
Stoinis, a member of Australia’s T20 World Cup-winning team in 2021, has scored 1,416 runs in 87 T20Is at a strike rate of 146.28. He has also taken 53 wickets with his right-arm medium pace.
The six franchises were allowed to sign four overseas players before the auction, with the pre-auction signing process completed on August 3.
The teams will complete their squads at the ILT20 Season 5 Player Auction in Dubai on October 1. Each franchise will have a minimum of 18 and a maximum of 23 players, with UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and additional overseas players available for selection at the auction.
Players can register for the auction until September 12. Following the auction, each franchise will also be allowed to make one further Wildcard signing. The sixth-team, 34-match ILT20 Season 5 is scheduled to be played in November and December 2026.
ILT20 Season 5 – List of Pre-Auction Signings:
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders:
Finn Allen – Pre-Auction Signing
Jason Holder – Pre-Auction Signing (Played for ADKR as Wildcard in Season 4)
Matthew Tromp – Pre-Auction Signing
Sunil Narine – Returns to the squad
Desert Vipers:
Andries Gous – Returns to the squad
Dan Lawrence – Returns to the squad
Mujeeb-ur-Rahman – Pre-Auction Signing (Played for Dubai Capitals in Season 4)
Shimron Hetmyer – Pre-Auction Signing (Played for DV as Wildcard in Season 4)
Dubai Capitals:
Marcus Stoinis – Pre-Auction Signing
Mustafizur Rahman – Returns to the squad
Noor Ahmad – Pre-Auction Signing (played for the Vipers in Season 4)
Rovman Powell – Returns to the squad
Gulf Giants:
Azmatullah Omarzai – Returns to the squad
Blessing Muzarabani – Returns to the squad
David Miller – Pre-Auction Signing
Heinrich Klaasen – Pre-Auction Signing
MI Emirates:
Nicholas Pooran – Returns to the squad
Rashid Khan – Returns to the squad
Romario Shepherd – Returns to the squad
Sherfane Rutherford – Pre-Auction Signing
Sharjah Warriorz:
Adam Milne – Pre-Auction Signing (played for the Warriorz in Season 3)
James Vince – Pre-Auction Signing
Waqar Salamkheil – Pre-Auction Signing
Sikandar Raza – Returns to the squad
–IANS
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