Top 10 Most Expensive ILT20 Players in 2026
Fazalhaq Farooqi is the most expensive player in ILT20 history. MI Emirates paid $380,000 for the Afghan left arm quick at the Season 5 auction in Dubai on 1 October 2026. Liam Livingstone ($350,000) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz ($310,000) came next, both bought by Gulf Giants. Faf du Plessis completes the top four at $300,000. Here is the full top 10, why each team paid so much and what every player brings to ILT20 2026.
All ten prices come from the auction at the ICC Academy, where about 400 players from 23 countries went under the hammer. For every signing and the money each franchise has left, read our complete ILT20 2026 auction review. Four of the ten now play for the MI Emirates squad, and three joined Gulf Giants for Season 5.
ILT20 2026 Top 10 Most Expensive Players
| Rank | Player | Country | Team | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fazalhaq Farooqi | Afghanistan | MI Emirates | $380,000 |
| 2 | Liam Livingstone | England | Gulf Giants | $350,000 |
| 3 | Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Afghanistan | Gulf Giants | $310,000 |
| 4 | Faf du Plessis | South Africa | Dubai Capitals | $300,000 |
| 5 | Alzarri Joseph | West Indies | Gulf Giants | $230,000 |
| 6 | Muhammad Waseem | UAE | MI Emirates | $210,000 |
| 7 | Richard Gleeson | England | Sharjah Warriorz | $180,000 |
| 8 | Chris Jordan | England | MI Emirates | $170,000 |
| 9 | David Payne | England | Desert Vipers | $150,000 |
| 10 | AM Ghazanfar | Afghanistan | MI Emirates | $150,000 |
David Payne and AM Ghazanfar both went for $150,000, so they share ninth place. Together the ten players cost $2.43 million, which is more than any single team’s full purse.
1. Fazalhaq Farooqi, $380,000
MI Emirates broke the ILT20 record to bring back the man who has taken more wickets than anyone in the league. Farooqi was the first bowler to reach 50 ILT20 wickets, and his 5 for 16 against Dubai Capitals in Season 3 is still the best bowling figure in the competition. He swings the new ball late and hits the stumps, which is exactly what you want at Zayed Cricket Stadium. Sharing the attack with Rashid Khan makes the MI bowling unit the one every batter will fear this season.
2. Liam Livingstone, $350,000
Livingstone left Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and became the centrepiece of the Gulf Giants rebuild under new coach Simon Helmot. He hits the ball as far as anyone in world cricket and bowls useful overs of off spin and leg spin, so he fills two roles in one spot. Gulf Giants finished fifth in each of the last two seasons, and they are betting that Livingstone in the middle order changes that. You can follow his runs on our ILT20 batting leaderboard once the season begins.
3. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, $310,000
Gurbaz returns to Gulf Giants after a strong Season 4, when he made 246 runs and also took 4 catches and 2 stumpings behind the stumps. An opener who keeps wicket saves a team an overseas place, and that is a big part of why the Giants went this high. With Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller already signed, the Giants batting order could be the most dangerous in the league.
4. Faf du Plessis, $300,000
The former South Africa captain was the biggest buy of the day for the 2025 champions Dubai Capitals. Du Plessis brings huge T20 leadership experience and still scores quickly at the top of the order. Dubai Capitals also picked up Phil Salt for $80,000, so they now have two attacking openers for their seven home games in Dubai.
5. Alzarri Joseph, $230,000
Joseph is the third Gulf Giants signing in the top five, which shows how hard the franchise went after star power. The West Indies fast bowler hits the deck at real pace and can bowl in the powerplay or at the death. Gulf Giants spent $890,000 on Livingstone, Gurbaz and Joseph, and that left them with only $28,000 at the end of the day.
6. Muhammad Waseem, $210,000
Waseem is the most expensive UAE player at the 2026 auction by a long way. The UAE captain is a powerful opening batter, and he also holds the ILT20 record for most catches with 20. Every team has to field UAE players, so a local who can win games on his own is worth a lot. That is why MI Emirates paid more for Waseem than most teams paid for their overseas stars.
7. Richard Gleeson, $180,000
Sharjah Warriorz made the England fast bowler their biggest buy of the day. Gleeson is quick and skiddy and has plenty of franchise experience around the world. He leads an English flavoured squad that also includes Adil Rashid, Tom Banton and James Vince, all under new coach Adrian Birrell. The Warriorz finished bottom last season with three wins, so a lot rides on Gleeson.
8. Chris Jordan, $170,000
Jordan gives MI Emirates a proven death bowler to go with Farooqi’s new ball skills. He bowls yorkers and slower balls under pressure, and he is a brilliant fielder too. MI were the only team to spend their entire $1.39 million purse, and Jordan is one of the reasons the money ran out.
9. David Payne, $150,000
Payne was the most expensive pick for the defending champions Desert Vipers. The England left arm seamer swings the ball early, which helps on the Dubai pitch where the Vipers play six games. It is a smart buy because the Vipers spent most of their money on value deals like Babar Azam at $80,000 and still kept $456,000 in the bank.
10. AM Ghazanfar, $150,000
The young Afghan off spinner is the fourth MI Emirates player in the top 10. Ghazanfar has a clever mix of variations and has already played international cricket for Afghanistan as a teenager. Alongside Rashid Khan he gives MI two quality spinners for the slower Abu Dhabi pitch.
What the Top 10 Tells Us About Season 5
- MI Emirates spent $910,000 on four of the ten players, more than any other team.
- Gulf Giants put $890,000 into three stars and now have very little left for injury cover.
- Abu Dhabi Knight Riders are the only franchise with nobody in the top 10. Their priciest buy was Alishan Sharafu at $110,000.
- England has four players on the list and Afghanistan has three.
- Bowlers make up six of the ten, which shows how much teams value wickets in the UAE.
Big money does not always mean big results. Desert Vipers are the reigning champions, and this year they chose value over one big name.
Best Bargains Outside the Top 10
Some of the best deals of the auction did not cost much at all. Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah and Shadab Khan all joined Desert Vipers for $80,000 each. Phil Salt also went for his $80,000 base price to Dubai Capitals, and Jonny Bairstow joined MI Emirates for the same amount. Any of these players could end up being worth more than some of the names in the top 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most expensive player in ILT20 history?
Fazalhaq Farooqi. MI Emirates bought the Afghan left arm fast bowler for $380,000 at the Season 5 auction in October 2026.
Who is the most expensive player at the ILT20 2026 auction?
Fazalhaq Farooqi at $380,000, followed by Liam Livingstone at $350,000 and Rahmanullah Gurbaz at $310,000.
Which team spent the most on the top 10 ILT20 players?
MI Emirates. They paid $910,000 for Fazalhaq Farooqi, Muhammad Waseem, Chris Jordan and AM Ghazanfar.
Who is the most expensive UAE player in ILT20 2026?
Muhammad Waseem. The UAE captain joined MI Emirates for $210,000.
How much did Babar Azam go for in the ILT20 auction?
Babar Azam joined Desert Vipers for his base price of $80,000, so he is not in the top 10.
Which team has no player in the ILT20 top 10 most expensive list?
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. Their biggest buy was Alishan Sharafu, kept with a Right to Match card for $110,000.
Last updated: 8 October 2026
