Babar Azam registers for ILT20 2026 auction: Exploring International League T20 teams which can sign Pakistan captain

Babar Azam registers for ILT20 2026 auction: Exploring International League T20 teams which can sign Pakistan captain originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Pakistan ace Babar Azam has reportedly entered his name for the ILT20 2026 auction, eyeing his first appearance in the UAE league.

Five of six ILT20 franchises are Indian-owned, leaving American-backed Desert Vipers as his most realistic destination.

Babar had previously walked away from an ILT20 deal in 2023 over payment terms and image rights disputes.

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Babar Azam to go under the hammer in ILT20 2026 auction

Pakistan's Test captain, Babar Azam, has reportedly put his name forward for the upcoming ILT20 auction. This opens the door to his maiden appearance in the UAE's flagship T20 franchise competition.

The upcoming edition is set to run from November 21 through December 30, 2026 across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. As in previous years, six franchises will contest the tournament: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates and Sharjah Warriorz.

The league heads into this edition with plenty of buzz already building, having brought Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee on board as brand ambassadors. Babar's arrival, should it happen, would only add fuel to that momentum as his global fanbase and box-office pull could give the tournament a real viewership boost.

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What makes this notable is just how much franchise cricket Babar has sampled elsewhere without ever setting foot in the ILT20. He's turned out in the PSL, Big Bash, CPL, Lanka Premier League and the BPL, but the UAE league remains the one gap on an otherwise packed resume.

This isn't the first time Babar has flirted with an ILT20 stint. Back in 2023, he came close enough that several franchises were reportedly lining up serious money to land him, only for the deal to fall apart.

Media reports at the time suggested he was set to skip the league's second edition, played across January and February 2024, after turning down a contract worth roughly half a million dollars. The sticking points came down to image rights disagreements and disputes over payment terms.

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There was even talk of organisers wanting him as a brand ambassador for the tournament itself, but Babar opted to prioritise the Bangladesh Premier League instead and let the ILT20 opportunity slip by.

MORE: 'Babar back in domestic cricket after 7 years': Fans thrilled as Pakistan Test captain returns to first-class cricket

Exploring teams which can sign Babar Azam for ILT20 2026

Technically, nothing stops any of the six franchises from bidding for him. Reality, though, works differently once boardroom politics enter the picture.

Five of the six teams trace back to Indian corporate ownership. Given how strained India-Pakistan cricketing ties have become, Indian-backed sides across various global leagues have historically steered clear of signing Pakistani players.

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That leaves Desert Vipers, backed by American firm Lancer Capital, as pretty much the only realistic landing spot. The Vipers don't carry any of that diplomatic baggage, and they've shown before they're willing to field Pakistani cricketers without a second thought. Barring a surprise shift in how the other five franchises operate, the Vipers look like Babar's one genuine route into this competition.

Earlier in the year, a social media storm was whipped up when Sunrisers Leeds turned heads by paying £190,000 (around $255,000) for Abrar Ahmed at the Hundred auction.

India-Pakistan cricket relations had already soured badly after the Pahalgam terror attack, followed by a brief but intense military conflict between the two countries.

The BCCI stopped short of boycotting fixtures against Pakistan outright, but Indian players have kept things frosty on the field, skipping handshakes at the toss and after matches.

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Abrar didn't help matters either, as he had earlier posted a photo online captioned "Fantastic Tea" that drew massive criticism in India. The rage among fans was so intense that Sunrisers Leeds' X account was temporarily suspended over the fallout.

Abrar went on to play five matches for the club in that Hundred season, picking up two wickets along the way.

MORE: Hesson praises India as Pakistan prepare for marquee clash in Asian Games

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ILT20 teams and their owners

Desert Vipers make sense, but this feels like deja vu

Babar registering for the auction is easy enough to understand, as every top player wants a crack at every major league, and the ILT20's growing reputation makes it worth chasing. The harder question is whether this actually goes anywhere, given how the ownership map is stacked against him.

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Desert Vipers picking him up would be the obvious, low-friction outcome. They've fielded Pakistani players before; they don't answer to the same domestic pressures Indian-owned franchises do, and a marquee name like Babar would only raise their profile. It's about as clean a fit as franchise cricket offers right now.

But there's a nagging sense of repetition here. Babar came agonisingly close in 2023 and walked away over money and image rights; not politics, not availability, just business terms that didn't add up. Unless those specific issues get ironed out this time, there's no guarantee history won't repeat itself, auction listing or not.

The Abrar Ahmed episode at the Hundred shows that if any team other than the Vipers pick him, that doesn't guarantee a smooth ride. He is likely to face backlash from Indian fans, who have already roasted him on several occasions in the past. All eyes on the auction day!

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