25 Afghanistan Players Selected for ILT20 Season 5 Full List and Teams
Twenty five Afghanistan players have been selected for ILT20 Season 5, and every one of the six franchises has at least four of them. Twenty were bought at the auction in Dubai on 1 October 2026 for a combined $1,556,000, and five more, including Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad, were signed before it. Fazalhaq Farooqi leads the list after MI Emirates paid a league record $380,000 for him, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz next at $310,000 for Gulf Giants. Below is the full list of Afghan players in ILT20 2026 with their teams, roles and prices.
If you want the wider picture, our ILT20 2026 auction results cover every signing from all 23 countries, and the ten costliest buys of Season 5 include three of the Afghans on this list. You can also see where each player fits on the six ILT20 team pages.
Full List of Afghanistan Players in ILT20 2026
| Player | Team | Role | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | MI Emirates | Left arm fast bowler | $380,000 |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Gulf Giants | Wicketkeeper batter | $310,000 |
| AM Ghazanfar | MI Emirates | Off spinner | $150,000 |
| Mohammad Nabi | Sharjah Warriorz | Spin all rounder | $140,000 |
| Arab Gul | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Leg spinner | $80,000 |
| Gulbadin Naib | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Batting all rounder | $75,000 |
| Sediqullah Atal | Dubai Capitals | Top order batter | $70,000 |
| Ibrahim Zadran | Gulf Giants | Opening batter | $65,000 |
| Karim Janat | Dubai Capitals | All rounder | $40,000 |
| Sharafuddin Ashraf | Sharjah Warriorz | All rounder | $40,000 |
| Fareed Malik | Sharjah Warriorz | Bowler | $40,000 |
| Abdullah Ahmadzai | Desert Vipers | Seamer | $40,000 |
| Qais Ahmad | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Leg spinner | $38,000 |
| Nangeyalia Kharote | Desert Vipers | Left arm spinner | $28,000 |
| Faridoon Dawoodzai | MI Emirates | Bowler | $10,000 |
| Wahidullah Zadran | Gulf Giants | Off spinner | $10,000 |
| Imran Mir | Gulf Giants | Batter | $10,000 |
| Darwish Rasooli | Dubai Capitals | Batter | $10,000 |
| Abdullah Tarakhail | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | All rounder | $10,000 |
| Saleem Safi | Desert Vipers | Batter | $10,000 |
| Rashid Khan | MI Emirates | Leg spin all rounder | Retained |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | Gulf Giants | Seam all rounder | Retained |
| Noor Ahmad | Dubai Capitals | Left arm wrist spinner | Pre signed |
| Mujeeb ur Rahman | Desert Vipers | Off spinner | Pre signed |
| Waqar Salamkheil | Sharjah Warriorz | Left arm wrist spinner | Pre signed |
Prices are in US dollars. Retained and pre signed players joined their teams before the auction, so no fee was published for them.
Afghanistan Players by ILT20 Team
- MI Emirates (4) Fazalhaq Farooqi, AM Ghazanfar, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Rashid Khan. Auction spend $540,000.
- Gulf Giants (5) Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Wahidullah Zadran, Imran Mir, Azmatullah Omarzai. Auction spend $395,000.
- Sharjah Warriorz (4) Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Fareed Malik, Waqar Salamkheil. Auction spend $220,000.
- Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (4) Arab Gul, Gulbadin Naib, Qais Ahmad, Abdullah Tarakhail. Auction spend $203,000.
- Dubai Capitals (4) Sediqullah Atal, Karim Janat, Darwish Rasooli, Noor Ahmad. Auction spend $120,000.
- Desert Vipers (4) Abdullah Ahmadzai, Nangeyalia Kharote, Saleem Safi, Mujeeb ur Rahman. Auction spend $78,000.
Gulf Giants are the only side with five Afghan players. MI Emirates spent the most on them by a long way, putting $540,000 into Farooqi, Ghazanfar and Faridoon Dawoodzai on top of Rashid Khan, who was already in the squad.
Why Every ILT20 Team Has Afghan Players
The numbers are not an accident. The Afghanistan Cricket Board has a partnership with the ILT20 and the Emirates Cricket Board, and under it each franchise has to carry four Afghanistan players in its squad, with at least two in the playing eleven. That is why even teams with tight budgets, like Desert Vipers, still picked up three Afghans at the auction.
Afghanistan Cricket Board chief executive Naseeb Khan said the board was “delighted” with the results and that the auction “has raised the profile of Afghanistan cricket like never before.” For many of the younger names on this list, a season in the UAE is also a chance to play alongside and against some of the best T20 cricketers in the world.
The Big Afghan Signings at the Auction
Fazalhaq Farooqi, MI Emirates, $380,000
No player in ILT20 history has cost more. Farooqi is also the leading wicket taker in the league and the first bowler to reach 50 ILT20 wickets. His 5 for 16 against Dubai Capitals is still the best bowling figure the competition has seen.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Gulf Giants, $310,000
Gurbaz returns to the Giants after making 246 runs in Season 4, plus 4 catches and 2 stumpings. He and Ibrahim Zadran open together for Afghanistan, and now they can do the same in Dubai.
AM Ghazanfar, MI Emirates, $150,000
The young off spinner gives MI a second Afghan spinner to work alongside Rashid Khan. He already played international cricket as a teenager and is one of the most exciting prospects in the pool.
Mohammad Nabi, Sharjah Warriorz, $140,000
The veteran all rounder was Sharjah’s second most expensive buy. He bowls tidy off spin, hits hard in the lower middle order and has captaincy experience that the Warriorz may lean on.
Afghan Stars Signed Before the Auction
- Rashid Khan MI Emirates. Became the first bowler to take 700 T20 wickets in February 2026.
- Noor Ahmad Dubai Capitals. Left arm wrist spinner who adds variety to the Capitals attack.
- Azmatullah Omarzai Gulf Giants. Seam bowling all rounder retained from last season.
- Mujeeb ur Rahman Desert Vipers. Powerplay off spinner kept by the defending champions.
- Waqar Salamkheil Sharjah Warriorz. Has topped the ILT20 wickets chart twice.
Afghan Players to Watch in Season 5
Spin is where Afghanistan dominates, and Season 5 will test it on all three UAE grounds. Rashid, Noor, Ghazanfar, Mujeeb and Salamkheil could all be among the top wicket takers, especially at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi where the pitch slows down. With the bat, keep an eye on Sediqullah Atal at Dubai Capitals, who cost $70,000 and could be a bargain at the top of the order.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders went for depth rather than one star. Arab Gul, Gulbadin Naib, Qais Ahmad and Abdullah Tarakhail cost $203,000 between them and give the Knight Riders spin and all round options for the slower Abu Dhabi pitch.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Afghanistan players are in ILT20 2026?
Twenty five. Twenty were bought at the Season 5 auction and five were retained or signed before it.
Who is the most expensive Afghanistan player in ILT20 2026?
Fazalhaq Farooqi. MI Emirates paid $380,000 for him, which is also the highest price in ILT20 history.
Which ILT20 team has the most Afghanistan players?
Gulf Giants, with five. They are Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Wahidullah Zadran and Imran Mir.
Which team is Rashid Khan playing for in ILT20 2026?
MI Emirates. He was retained before the auction and joins Farooqi and AM Ghazanfar in a strong Afghan spin and pace group.
Why does every ILT20 team have Afghan players?
Under the partnership between the Afghanistan Cricket Board and the ILT20, each franchise must include four Afghanistan players in its squad and at least two in the playing eleven.
How much did ILT20 teams spend on Afghanistan players at the 2026 auction?
A combined $1,556,000 on 20 players. MI Emirates spent the most with $540,000.
Last updated: 10 October 2026
