Dubai, : Adani Sportsline-owned Gulf Giants, the inaugural champions of the DP World International League T20, unveiled a formidable line-up for Season 4 after a power-packed outing at the league’s first-ever player auction, held at the Four Seasons Hotel, Jumeirah Beach, Dubai.
Englishman Liam Dawson (USD 170,000) was the most expensive buy for Gulf Giants, while Haider Razzaq (USD 50,000) and Asif Khan (USD 26,000) were among their other top picks. The team also secured Zuhaib Zubair (USD 10,000), Sean Dickson (USD 10,000), Tabraiz Shamsi (USD 40,000), Fred Klaassen (USD 40,000), Meet Bhavsar (USD 14,000), Ishtiaq Ahmad (USD 16,000), Lorcan Tucker (USD 10,000), Chris Wood (USD 40,000), Tom Moores (USD 40,000), and Ramon Simmonds (USD 40,000) at the auction.
Led by newly appointed Head Coach Jonathan Trott, the Gulf Giants executed a coherent and strategic approach, building a squad that blends international stars with rising young talent. The auction, introduced for the first time in ILT20 history, offered franchises a chance to sharpen strategies and rebuild with tactical buys.
The Giants retained James Vince (captain, England), Aayan Afzal Khan (the UAE), Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe), Gerhard Erasmus (Namibia) and Mark Adair (Ireland). Ahead of the auction, they also signed England’s Moeen Ali, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Azmatullah Omarzai of Afghanistan, strengthening both batting firepower and all-round balance.
Reflecting on the outcome, Head Coach Jonathan Trott said: “It’s been a fantastic auction for us, and I’m very pleased with the squad we’ve put together. We’ve struck the right balance between experience and emerging talent, and that gives us great depth heading into the season.”
Sanjay Adesara, Chief Business Officer, Adani Sportsline, added: “This auction was a landmark moment for the UAE ILT20. Our aim was to use this new system to build a well-rounded squad to put in their best effort to achieve our objectvies. Our best wishes to coaches and players, and we are looking forward to an exciting season of the UAE ILT20. ”
The DP World ILT20 Season 4 will run from 2 December 2025 (UAE National Day) to 4 January 2026, with six teams playing 34 matches across the UAE.
Gulf Giants (Total Spent: USD 1,471,000)
Auction Signings: Asif Khan (USD 26,000), Zuhaib Zubair (USD 10,000), Sean Dickson (USD 10,000), Tabraiz Shamsi (USD 40,000), Liam Dawson (USD 170,000), Fred Klaassen (USD 40,000), Haider Razzaq (USD 50,000), Meet Bhavsar (USD 14,000), Ishtiaq Ahmad (USD 16,000), Lorcan Tucker (USD 10,000), Chris Wood (USD 40,000), Tom Moores (USD 40,000), Ramon Simmonds (USD 40,000)
Retentions + Direct Signings: Aayan Afzal Khan, Mark Adair, Gerhard Erasmus, Blessing Muzarabani, Moeen Ali, James Vince, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz
About Adani Sportsline
Adani Sportsline is the sports arm of the diversified Adani Group, which has a presence in ports, logistics, energy, utility, infrastructure, electric power generation and transmission, mining, airport operations, natural gas, and food processing.
Formed in 2019, Adani Sportsline has an overarching philosophy to inculcate a culture of sports at the grassroots level and create globally competitive opportunities for future champions in India. In line with the group’s vision of nation-building, the company aims to build a world-class ecosystem that nurtures sporting talent, accelerates the sports economy and plays the role of an enabler in India’s journey to become a leading sporting nation.
