Highlighting his excitement, Junaid said: “This is a very special moment for me. Being brought back by the Warriorz in the first auction gives me a lot of confidence and also shows how far UAE cricket has come. Opportunities like these are important because they give us local players the opportunity to share the same stage with some of the best cricketers in the world. I want to make the most of it, contribute to my team and show what the players are capable of. UAE players.”
Rohid’s deal with MI Emirates, which was also a result of the Right-to-Match option, added more weight to the narrative of the day about local players making big strides. The 23-year-old made his UAE debut earlier this year but is quickly securing his place in the team, often sharing new-ball responsibilities with Siddique. The left-arm spinner has played for MI Emirates on 15 occasions in the last two DP World ILT20 seasons, returning 19 wickets.
Reacting to his signing, Rohid said: “It feels incredible to be picked by MI Emirates in the first auction. Playing for this team, I have had a huge learning curve over the last two seasons, and I see this as an opportunity to continue improving alongside some of the best players in the game. I also hope it shows young cricketers in the region that there are real opportunities here and that they can dream big.”
Although they were not yet under the title, Wasim Akram and Haider Razzaq also attracted a lot of interest when they came up for auction. Both players impressed the franchises in the recently concluded DP World ILT20 Development Tournament 2025. They combined to take 27 wickets in seven games for the season winners, Sharjah Warriorz Development. Razzaq led the way with 16 wickets as the leading wicket-taker, while Akram secured a five-wicket haul, including a hat-trick in his eleven scalps.
Speaking about what the step forward means to him, Razzaq said: “The DP World ILT20 2025 Development Tournament was a great platform to show what we could do, especially with the pressure of the auction coming up. I’m grateful for the opportunity it gave me, and now that I’m with the Giants I hope it’s a great learning experience. I want to use the next season to learn and grow as much as I can.”
Sanjay Pahal, who was named Player of the Tournament in the DP World ILT20 Development Tournament 2025 for his strong batting and ability to pick up wickets in groups, also found a deal with the Desert Vipers for $10,000. Asif Khan (Gulf Giants, $26,000) and Ibrar Ahmed (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, $22,000 RTM) were among the other notable acquisitions of the day in the UAE.
DP World ILT20 Season 4 – Teams:
Abu Dhabi Knights Riders: Abdul Manan Ali, Adnan Idrees Muhammad, Ajay Kumar, Alex Hales, Alishan Sharafu, Andre Russell, Brandon McMullen, George Garton, Ibrar Ahmed, Jason Holder, Khary Pierre, Liam Livingstone, Mayank Chowdary, Michael Pepper, Olly Stone, Phil Salt, Piyush Chawla, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Sherfane Rutherford, Sunil Narine and Unmukt Chand.
desert vipers: Andries Gous, Bilal Tahir, Dan Lawrence, David Payne, Fakhar Zaman, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Faisal Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Lockie Ferguson, Leus de Plooy, Matiullah Khan, Max Holden, Naseem Shah, Qais Ahmad, Sam Curran, Sanjay Pahal, Shimron Hetmyer, Tawanda Muyeye, Tom Bruce, Vriitya Aravind and Noor Ahmad.
Capitals of Dubai: Akshay Wakhare, Anudeep Chenthamara, David Willey, Farhan Khan, Gulbadin Naib, Haider Ali, Jimmy Neesham, Jordan Matthew Cox, Mohammad Nabi, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Naveen Bidiasee, Ritesh Mallikarjuna Grandhi, Rovman Powell, Rushil Ugarkar, Scott Currie, Sediqullah Atal, Shayan Jahangir, Tymal Mills, Toby Albert, Usman Najeeb and Waqar Salamkheil.
Gulf Giants: Aayan Afzal Khan, Asif Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Blessing Muzarabani, Chris Wood, Fred Klaassen, Gerhard Erasmus, Haider Razzaq, Ishtiaq Ahmad, James Vince, Kyle Mayers, Liam Dawson, Matthew Forde, Lorcan Tucker, Mark Adair, Meet Bhavsar, Moeen Ali, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ramon Simmonds, Sean Dickson, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tom Moores and Zuhaib Zubair.
MY Emirates: Ackeem Auguste, AM Ghazanfar, Andre Fletcher, Arab Gul, Chris Woakes, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jonny Bairstow, Jordan Thompson, Kamindu Mendis, Muhammad Rohid, Muhammad Waseem, Naveen-ul-Haq, Nosthush Kenjige, Romario Shepherd, Shakib Al Hasan, Tajinder Dhillon, Tom Banton, Usman Khan, Zahoor Khan, Zain Ul Abidin and Mohamed Shafeeq. (MI Emirates still has one wildcard spot left to fill).
Sharjah Warriors: Abdul Salam Khan, Adil Rashid, Dinesh Karthik, Dwaine Pretorius, Ethan D’Souza, Harmeet Singh, James Rew, Jayden Seales, Johnson Charles, Junaid Siddique, Mohamed Nawfer Mohamed Aslam, Nathan Sowter, Raees Ahmad, Richard Ngarava, Shubham Ranjane, Sikandar Raza, Saurabh Netravalkar, Taskin Ahmed, Tim David, Tim Southee, Tom Abell, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Wasim Akram.
