Afghanistan fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi became the most expensive player in the history of the DP World International League T20 (ILT20) player auction after being signed by MI Emirates for $380,000 at the Season 5 auction recently.

The October auction in Dubai saw four players surpass the previous record of $260,000, set by Andre Fletcher in Season 4, as franchises invested heavily in strengthening their squads ahead of the upcoming tournament.

England all-rounder Liam Livingstone was the second-highest purchase, joining Gulf Giants for $350,000. Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz also joined the Giants after they exercised their Right-to-Match option to secure him for $310,000.

Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis completed the leading deals, joining Dubai Capitals for $300,000.

Farooqi’s record-breaking price highlights the demand for Afghanistan’s international cricket talent ahead of the fifth season, scheduled to run from November 21 to December 20, 2026.

Pakistan stars join defending champions

The Desert Vipers strengthened their squad with four Pakistan internationals, signing Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan for their respective base price of $80,000.

Babar is set to make his ILT20 debut in Season 5, while Naseem and Fakhar return to the defending champions for another campaign.

The auction also saw Muhammad Waseem become the highest-priced UAE player in the competition’s history. MI Emirates used their Right-to-Match option to secure the UAE international for $210,000.

Other notable UAE player deals included Alishan Sharafu, who joined Abu Dhabi Knight Riders for $110,000, while Muhammad Rohid and Aayan Khan attracted bids of $95,000 each.

Franchises invest in international talent

The six franchises also targeted players from Associate Member nations, underlining the league’s international reach.

USA players Amshi De Silva and Hassan Khan secured deals worth $100,000 and $90,000 with Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Dubai Capitals respectively. Scotland’s Brandon McMullen joined Sharjah Warriorz for $80,000, while Namibia’s David Wiese signed with Gulf Giants for $70,000.

Among the other major purchases, West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph joined Gulf Giants for $230,000. England pacer Richard Gleeson was signed by Sharjah Warriorz for $180,000, while Chris Jordan moved to MI Emirates for $170,000.

Desert Vipers also exercised their Right-to-Match option to retain England fast bowler David Payne for $150,000.

Afghanistan players feature across franchises

Afghanistan internationals featured prominently throughout the auction, with several players securing deals across the six teams.

In addition to Farooqi and Gurbaz, Mohammad Nabi joined Sharjah Warriorz for $140,000, while Gulbadin Naib signed for Abu Dhabi Knight Riders for $75,000.

Dubai Capitals secured Sediqullah Atal for $70,000 and Karim Janat for $40,000. Gulf Giants added opening batter Ibrahim Zadran for $65,000, while MI Emirates retained Allah Ghazanfar through their Right-to-Match option for $150,000.

Arab Gul also joined Abu Dhabi Knight Riders for $80,000, adding to the Afghan contingent in the competition.

Gulf Giants lead auction spending

MI Emirates recorded the highest total auction spending at $2 million, followed closely by Gulf Giants at $1.972 million. Dubai Capitals spent $1.834 million, while Sharjah Warriorz invested $1.72 million.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders recorded spending of $1.549 million, with Desert Vipers spending $1.544 million.

The auction was attended by several prominent figures from the cricketing world, including Season 5 ambassador Brett Lee, alongside former international stars AB de Villiers, Allan Donald, Shoaib Malik and Usman Khawaja.

The fifth edition of the DP World ILT20 is scheduled to take place from November 21 to December 20, with six franchises competing for the title.

For Afghan cricket fans, the presence of Farooqi, Gurbaz, Nabi and other national players adds further interest to a tournament that continues to attract international talent and significant franchise investment.

Fans meanwhile will be able to watch all the action exclusively on ATN television and digital platforms.

Aino Mina secured a dramatic 5-4 victory over third-placed Omar Zawak in Match 57 of the sixth season of the Afghanistan Champions League Roshan in Kabul on Sunday.

Aino Mina, who were seventh in the points table before the match, scored five goals through Nabi Muqadas and Hedayatullah, who each netted twice, and Omid Sahel.

Omar Zawak responded with goals from Hatam Shirdel, Shadab Malekzada, Bilal Ahmad and Azamuddin Hajizada, but could not prevent defeat.

The match also saw Aino Mina receive one yellow card and one red card, while Omar Zawak were shown two yellow cards. Aino Mina recorded eight fouls, two offsides and four corners, compared with Omar Zawak’s 10 fouls, nine offsides and three corners.

The victory gave Aino Mina a valuable three points as they continued their campaign in the 10-team competition.

The sixth season of the Afghanistan Champions League Roshan is being broadcast live on Ariana Television, bringing the action to football fans across the country.

Istiqlal Kabul and Sarsabz Yashlar shared the points after playing out a 1-1 draw in the 56th match of the sixth season of the Afghanistan Champions League  Roshan in Kabul on Sunday.

Sarsabz Yashlar opened the scoring in the 21st minute, with Firooz Rahmani finding the net to give his side an early advantage. However, Istiqlal Kabul responded after the break, as Haroon Noori scored in the 54th minute to bring his team level.

Despite both sides having opportunities to secure a winning goal, neither could find the breakthrough, and the match ended with the score tied at 1-1.

Sarsabz Yashlar had more corners, while Istiqlal Kabul recorded more fouls and offsides. Both teams received two yellow cards each, and neither received a red card.

The result leaves Istiqlal Kabul at the bottom of the 10-team tournament standings, while Sarsabz Yashlar remain in eighth place.

With the competition continuing, both teams will be looking to improve their results in their remaining matches as they seek to climb the league table.