The organisers of the International League T20 have set a new player-composition rule for every franchise, requiring squads to include at least four players from Afghanistan and at least one from Ireland. The regulation is aimed at shaping team balance ahead of Season 5 of the six-team event, which is scheduled to run from November 22 to December 20. Under the framework circulated to franchises, the league stipulated that, among the overseas “Full Member” contingent, no fewer than four must be from Afghanistan and at least one must be from Ireland.
As part of the updated squad structure, each team’s overall overseas allotment and local player mix will need to fit within the league’s overseas limits. Franchises will be allowed a total squad size ranging from 21 to 23 players, while overseas entries are capped at 11. Within that overseas group, the minimum required representation is laid out clearly: 11 Full Member players, including the Afghanistan and Ireland requirements; four players from the UAE, with at least one being a capped individual and at least one under the age of 23; two GCC players, specifically including one from Saudi Arabia and one from Kuwait; and one additional player from an Associate nation outside of those three countries. The league also defines these mandatory slots—“4 Afghanistan players, 1 Ireland player, 4 UAE players and 2 GCC players (one from Saudi Arabia, one from Kuwait) required in each squad”—as the “Mandatory Players.”
Alongside the composition rules, the ILT20 has also outlined financial constraints for franchises. The note shared with teams, which has been accessed in circulation, sets the maximum salary cap at USD 2 million per franchise. Teams are also required to commit at least USD 1.5 million toward player salaries through a combination of retention, direct signings, and the players’ draft/auction process. The minimum salary for every player is pegged at USD 10,000, while there is no stated ceiling for an individual’s earnings.
The league further allows an extra route for squads through a Wildcard mechanism. In addition to the standard 21–23 player squad size, franchises may add one additional Wildcard Player, whose salary would sit above the normal players’ purse. The underlying motivation for insisting on a minimum number of Afghan and Irish players has not been officially clarified, though it is widely understood the decision could be linked to coordination between the Emirates Cricket Board, the Afghanistan Cricket Board and Cricket Ireland.
The ILT20 franchises for the upcoming season are MI Emirates, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, Sharjah Warriorz and Gulf Giants. Desert Vipers enter the next edition as the defending champions, having won the latest tournament in the competition’s history.
