DUBAI: UAE pace bowlers Junaid Siddique and Muhammad Rohid were among the most coveted cricketers at the DP World ILT20 Season 4 player auction on Oct. 1, landing blockbuster deals worth $170,000 with Sharjah Warriorz and $140,000 with MI Emirates respectively.
The pair ranked four and five on the list of the most expensive acquisitions of the league’s historic first auction. The demand extended to fellow pacers Wasim Akram ($55,000, Sharjah Warriorz) and Haider Razzaq ($50,000, Gulf Giants) as well, signaling a major milestone for cricket in the region.
Junaid, who returns to the Warriorz set-up for a fourth season, was secured when the franchise exercised its only right-to-match option, snatching the 32-year-old away from the highest bidders, Gulf Giants. The right-arm pacer impressed at the Men’s T20 Asia Cup in the UAE, emerging as the third-highest wicket taker with nine, including two four-wicket hauls against Oman and Pakistan.
“This is a very special moment for me,” Junaid said. “To be brought back by the Warriorz at the first auction gives me a lot of confidence, and it also shows how far UAE cricket has come. Opportunities like these are important because they give us local players the chance to share the 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 UAE players are capable of.”
Rohid’s deal with MI Emirates, which was also the result of the right-to-match option, added further weight to the day’s narrative of local players making big strides. The 23-year-old pacer only made his UAE debut earlier this year, but is quickly making himself a fixture in the team, often sharing new-ball responsibilities with Siddique. The left-armer has played for MI Emirates on 15 occasions in the past two seasons of the DP World ILT20, returning 19 wickets.
“It feels incredible to be picked up by MI Emirates at the first auction,” said Rohid. “Playing for this team, I have had a great learning curve in the past two seasons, and I see this as a chance to keep 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.”
Though still uncapped, local players Wasim Akram and Haider Razzaq also attracted huge interest when they went under the hammer. Both bowlers impressed franchises at the recently concluded DP World ILT20 Development Tournament 2025. They combined to pick up 27 wickets in seven games for the winners, Sharjah Warriorz Development. Razzaq led the way with 16 wickets — making him the tournament’s top wicket taker — while Akram secured a five-wicket haul including a hat-trick among his 11 scalps.
Razzaq said: “The DP World ILT20 Development Tournament 2025 was a great platform to showcase what we could do, especially with the pressure of the auction coming up. I’m thankful for the chance it gave me, and now that I’m with the Giants I hope it will be a big 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 at that same competition for his big hitting and knack of picking up wickets in clusters, also found a deal with the Desert Vipers at $10,000. Asif Khan (Gulf Giants, $26,000) and Ibrar Ahmed (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, $22,000 RTM) were among the other prominent UAE acquisitions of the day.
