Pakistan's Babar Azam Joins Desert Vipers in ILT20 for US$80,000
Babar Azam signed by Desert Vipers for US$80,000 at the ILT20 auction. See the other Pakistan players picked, Season 5 dates and where his PCB NOC stands.
Babar Azam will play for Desert Vipers in ILT20 Season 5. The franchise bought him for US$80,000 at the league's player auction in Dubai on 1 October 2026. That is about Rs 2.2 crore. The season runs from 22 November to 20 December 2026 in the UAE.
We read the deal on Desert Vipers' own website and on the league's live auction page. Both list Babar Azam as a Desert Vipers player at US$80,000. The Vipers say this will be his first season in the International League T20, the UAE's franchise league, known as ILT20.
He will not be the only Pakistani in the side. Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah and Shadab Khan were bought by the same team on the same day.
Desert Vipers bought Babar Azam for US$80,000
Desert Vipers signed Babar Azam for US$80,000 at the ILT20 Season 5 auction in Dubai on 1 October 2026. The franchise announced it the same day. The league's own auction page shows the same team and the same price.
At the State Bank of Pakistan's revaluation rate of Rs 277.07 a dollar on 2 October, US$80,000 is about Rs 22.2 million. That is our own sum. The real amount he takes home depends on his contract and on tax, which are not public.
Several reports said the Vipers paid his base price and faced no rival bid. The franchise and the league do not say that. They give only the final price, so we cannot confirm how the bidding went.
Tom Moody, the Vipers' director of cricket, called Babar "a terrific addition" in the club's own announcement. He said this would be Babar's "first taste" of ILT20. The Vipers' page also points to his 122 from 59 balls against South Africa at Centurion in 2021.
Four Pakistan players will play for Desert Vipers
Desert Vipers now have four Pakistan players for Season 5: Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah and Shadab Khan. All four were bought at the auction for US$80,000 each. Fakhar, Naseem and Shadab played for the Vipers before.
We went through every sold player on the league's auction page. One more Pakistan player went to another team: spinner Usman Tariq joined Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, also for US$80,000. The league's page lists players by category, not by country, so we matched the names ourselves.
| Player | Role | ILT20 team | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam | Batter | Desert Vipers | US$80,000 |
| Fakhar Zaman | Batter | Desert Vipers | US$80,000 |
| Naseem Shah | Bowler | Desert Vipers | US$80,000 |
| Shadab Khan | All-rounder | Desert Vipers | US$80,000 |
| Usman Tariq | Bowler | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | US$80,000 |
Moody said the club wanted "familiarity". He named Fakhar at the top of the order, Naseem's pace and Shadab's all-round skills. Desert Vipers won Season 4, and ten players from that title side are back.
Babar's price is far below the top buys
Babar's US$80,000 is a mid-table price at this auction. Afghanistan's Fazalhaq Farooqi went to MI Emirates for US$380,000, the highest price on the league's page. England's Liam Livingstone went to Gulf Giants for US$350,000.
The Vipers' own most expensive buy was English fast bowler David Payne at US$150,000. He took 17 wickets in their Season 4 win. So Babar cost the Vipers just over half of what they paid for Payne.
- Fazalhaq Farooqi, MI Emirates: US$380,000.
- Liam Livingstone, Gulf Giants: US$350,000.
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Gulf Giants: US$310,000.
- Faf du Plessis, Dubai Capitals: US$300,000.
- David Payne, Desert Vipers: US$150,000.
A low price is not a verdict on the player. A new league rule this season also makes every squad carry at least four Afghanistan players, the Vipers say, so part of each budget was spoken for.
ILT20 Season 5 runs from 22 November to 20 December
ILT20 Season 5 will be played from Sunday 22 November to Sunday 20 December 2026. Six teams will play 34 matches in the UAE. The final is at Dubai International Stadium. The league's chief executive confirmed the window in April.
We checked that date against Pakistan's home season. The Pakistan Cricket Board's men's international list shows Sri Lanka's tour of Pakistan running from 9 October to 21 November. The second Test in Lahore ends on 21 November, one day before ILT20 starts.
- 9, 11 and 13 October: Pakistan play three T20 internationals against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi.
- 18 to 31 October: the tri-nation ODI series with England and Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi and Lahore.
- 9 to 13 November: first Test against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi.
- 17 to 21 November: second Test in Lahore.
- 22 November to 20 December: ILT20 Season 5 in the UAE.
The board lists no men's series after 21 November yet. A tour can still be added, and any player picked for the Lahore Test would reach the UAE only as the league begins. The full home calendar is in the Pakistan cricket schedule for October and November.
Babar still needs a PCB no objection certificate
Pakistan players need a no objection certificate, or NOC, from the Pakistan Cricket Board to play in a foreign league. We found no PCB release on ILT20 Season 5 NOCs. So Babar's clearance is not yet confirmed on the board's own website.
We read every PCB press release from 20 September to 1 October. None mentions ILT20 or NOCs. Under the board's central contract rules, a contracted player is reported to be allowed two foreign leagues a season besides the PSL. The PCB has not published that rule on its site, so treat it as reported.
Until the board confirms an NOC, a signing at auction is not a confirmed appearance. We will update this page if the PCB publishes one.
Pakistan's next home games come first. The Sri Lanka series starts in Rawalpindi on 9 October, and T20I tickets from Rs 200 went on sale on 3 October. Ticket steps and venues are in how to buy Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 tickets.
Common questions
Which ILT20 team did Babar Azam join?
Desert Vipers. The team bought him at the ILT20 Season 5 auction in Dubai on 1 October 2026.
How much did Desert Vipers pay for Babar Azam?
US$80,000, as shown on both the franchise's and the league's websites. That is about Rs 22.2 million at the State Bank's rate of 2 October.
When does ILT20 Season 5 start?
On Sunday 22 November 2026. The final is on Sunday 20 December at Dubai International Stadium.
Which other Pakistan players are in ILT20 Season 5?
Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah and Shadab Khan are with Desert Vipers. Usman Tariq joined Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. Each was bought for US$80,000.
Has the PCB given Babar Azam an NOC for ILT20?
Not on its website so far. We found no PCB release on ILT20 Season 5 NOCs up to 1 October 2026.
Has Babar Azam played in ILT20 before?
No. Desert Vipers say Season 5 will be his first season in the league.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 3 October 2026, about 3am PKT. We read the Desert Vipers announcement of 1 October, the club's squad round-up and its auction page. We read every sold player on the ILT20 auction page, including team and price. The Season 5 window comes from the league chief executive's statement, published on MI Emirates' own website. Pakistan's fixtures come from the PCB's men's international series list and its press releases. The rupee figure uses the State Bank's revaluation rate for 2 October and is our own sum. The base price, the lack of rival bids and the PCB's two league rule are reported only.
About the author
Senior Writer, Public Services and Technology
Shahid joined us in 2024 as an author. He is a senior contributor to Pakistan's leading technology websites. He writes detailed articles, mostly covering his expertise in the latest tech, mobiles, apps, gadgets, and step-by-step guides. His ideology is to help people understand the latest trends and explain complex methods through very easy-to-understand guides.
