Finn Allen, David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen will headline the list of overseas players joining the ILT20, UAE’s premier T20 competition, for the first time, with the trio confirmed as pre-auction signings ahead of the league’s fifth season.
New Zealand opener Allen will represent Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, while South Africa’s Miller and Klaasen have joined Gulf Giants. Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis will also return to the competition with Dubai Capitals after a three-year absence.
The pre-auction signings were completed by the six franchises on August 3, with each team allowed to sign up to four overseas players before the auction. The remaining squad slots will be filled at the Season 5 Player Auction in Dubai on October 1.
The 34-match tournament, featuring six teams, will be played in November and December 2026.
Allen is one of the most destructive openers in T20 cricket and arrives in the UAE after a prolific period in international cricket. The 27-year-old smashed a 33-ball century in New Zealand’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final against South Africa and has scored 1,663 runs in 62 T20Is at a strike rate of 170.73.
Miller, meanwhile, brings considerable experience to the Gulf Giants. The left-hander has scored 2,804 runs in 140 T20Is for South Africa, while wicketkeeper-batter Klaasen has made 1,000 T20I runs in 58 appearances and remains one of the most sought-after hitters in the format, particularly against spin.
Stoinis, a member of Australia’s 2021 T20 World Cup-winning side, has played 87 T20Is and scored 1,416 runs at a strike rate of 146.28. He has also taken 53 wickets with his medium pace.
TEAMS OPTING CONTINUITY
The franchises have also opted for continuity, with several prominent names returning to their Season 4 teams.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders have retained Sunil Narine and brought back Jason Holder, while Desert Vipers have retained Shimron Hetmyer, Andries Gous and Dan Lawrence and added Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman.
Dubai Capitals will have Rovman Powell and Mustafizur Rahman back, alongside new signing Noor Ahmad and returning Stoinis. Gulf Giants have retained Azmatullah Omarzai and Blessing Muzarabani, in addition to their headline signings Miller and Klaasen.
MI Emirates, meanwhile, will continue with Nicholas Pooran, Rashid Khan and Romario Shepherd and have added West Indies all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford. Sharjah Warriorz have signed Adam Milne, James Vince and Waqar Salamkheil.
The moves come after a closely contested Season 4, which ended with Desert Vipers claiming their maiden ILT20 title. The Vipers defeated MI Emirates by 46 runs in the final in Dubai, defending a total of 182 for four after restricting their opponents to 136. Sam Curran’s unbeaten 74 helped the Vipers seal the championship, with the England all-rounder also winning the tournament’s MVP and Best Batter awards.
The Vipers had also produced one of the standout innings of the season in Qualifier 1, when Andries Gous smashed an unbeaten 120 off 58 balls against MI Emirates. His innings helped the Vipers post 233 for one, then the second-highest total in ILT20 history, while his score was the tournament’s highest individual effort at the time.
MI Emirates, who were chasing a second title, ultimately finished runners-up after their 46-run defeat in the final.
The six franchises will now look to complete their squads at the October 1 auction. Players can register for the auction until September 12, while each team will be allowed one additional wildcard.
DP World ILT20 Season 5: List of Pre-Auction Signings:
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
- Finn Allen – Pre-Auction Signing
- Jason Holder – Pre-Auction Signing (Played for ADKR as Wildcard in Season 4)
- Matthew Tromp – Pre-Auction Signing
- Sunil Narine – Returns to the squad
Desert Vipers
- Andries Gous – Returns to the squad
- Dan Lawrence – Returns to the squad
- Mujeeb-ur-Rahman – Pre-Auction Signing (Played for Dubai Capitals in Season 4)
- Shimron Hetmyer – Pre-Auction Signing (Played for DV as Wildcard in Season 4)
Dubai Capitals
- Marcus Stoinis – Pre-Auction Signing
- Mustafizur Rahman – Returns to the squad
- Noor Ahmad – Pre-Auction Signing (played for the Vipers in Season 4)
- Rovman Powell – Returns to the squad
Gulf Giants
- Azmatullah Omarzai – Returns to the squad
- Blessing Muzarabani – Returns to the squad
- David Miller – Pre-Auction Signing
- Heinrich Klaasen – Pre-Auction Signing
MI Emirates
- Nicholas Pooran – Returns to the squad
- Rashid Khan – Returns to the squad
- Romario Shepherd – Returns to the squad
- Sherfane Rutherford – Pre-Auction Signing
Sharjah Warriorz
- Adam Milne – Pre-Auction Signing (played for the Warriorz in Season 3)
- James Vince – Pre-Auction Signing
- Waqar Salamkhe
– Ends
