DP World ILT20 • Season 5
Desert Vipers Squad 2026
The Desert Vipers squad for DP World ILT20 Season 5 features four players confirmed before the auction and 17 additions secured through the 2026 player auction.
Season 5 Squad
Desert Vipers Players for ILT20 2026
Desert Vipers entered the Season 5 player auction with four players already confirmed. Andries Gous and Dan Lawrence returned to the franchise, while Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Shimron Hetmyer joined through the pre-auction process.
The Vipers then added 17 players through the 1 October 2026 auction, bringing the current post-auction squad to 21 players. The table below lists the squad and each player’s recruitment route and auction price where applicable.
Full Players List
Desert Vipers Squad 2026
The current squad includes returning players, pre-auction signings, regular auction purchases and two players secured through the Right to Match mechanism.
| PLAYER | SQUAD ROUTE | AUCTION PRICE |
|---|---|---|
| Andries Gous | Returning Player | — |
| Dan Lawrence | Returning Player | — |
| Mujeeb-ur-Rahman | Pre-Auction Signing | — |
| Shimron Hetmyer | Pre-Auction Signing | — |
| David Payne | Auction | $150,000 |
| Babar Azam | Auction | $80,000 |
| Naseem Shah | Auction | $80,000 |
| Fakhar Zaman | Auction | $80,000 |
| Shadab Khan | Auction | $80,000 |
| Khuzaima Bin Tanveer | RTM | $75,000 |
| Vriitya Aravind | Auction | $70,000 |
| Aneurin Donald | Auction | $40,000 |
| Joe Clarke | Auction | $40,000 |
| Abdullah Ahmadzai | Auction | $40,000 |
| Nangeyalia Kharote | Auction | $28,000 |
| Sanjay Pahal | Auction | $22,000 |
| Harry Tector | Auction | $12,000 |
| Ishtiaq Ahmed | Auction | $12,000 |
| Nilansh Keswani | Auction | $10,000 |
| Saleem Safi | Auction | $10,000 |
| Bilal Tahir | RTM | $10,000 |
Before the Auction
Desert Vipers Pre-Auction Players
Four players formed the Desert Vipers’ Season 5 group before the player auction.
Auction Highlights
Desert Vipers’ Biggest 2026 Auction Buys
$150,000
David Payne
The Vipers’ highest-priced purchase in the Season 5 auction.
$80,000
Babar Azam
One of the major batting additions to the defending champions.
$80,000
Naseem Shah
Added to the Vipers’ bowling group during the main auction.
$80,000
Shadab Khan
A later-round all-round addition to the Season 5 squad.
Right to Match
Desert Vipers RTM Signings
Desert Vipers used the Right to Match mechanism to bring two players into the Season 5 squad.
Khuzaima Bin Tanveer
$75,000
Bilal Tahir
$10,000
Squad Construction
How Desert Vipers Built the Season 5 Squad
4
Players confirmed before the auction
17
Players added through the auction
2
Players secured using RTM
$150k
Highest individual auction purchase
Season 5 Additions
Notable New Names in the Desert Vipers Squad
The Vipers added significant international experience through the auction. Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman strengthen the batting group, while Naseem Shah and David Payne add pace-bowling options.
Shadab Khan adds another all-round option, while Vriitya Aravind, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Sanjay Pahal, Nilansh Keswani and other regional players provide further depth to the 21-player post-auction group.
Current squad status
This page reflects the Desert Vipers’ current post-auction Season 5 squad. The list can still change through permitted wildcard, replacement or subsequent official roster moves.
More Desert Vipers Information
Team, Fixtures and ILT20 Squads
FAQs
Desert Vipers Squad 2026 FAQs
How many players are in the Desert Vipers squad for 2026?
The current post-auction Desert Vipers squad contains 21 players for DP World ILT20 Season 5.
Which players were with Desert Vipers before the auction?
Andries Gous and Dan Lawrence returned to the squad, while Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Shimron Hetmyer were pre-auction signings.
Who was Desert Vipers’ most expensive auction signing?
David Payne was the Vipers’ highest-priced auction purchase at $150,000.
How much did Desert Vipers pay for Babar Azam?
Desert Vipers signed Babar Azam for $80,000 in the Season 5 player auction.
Which Desert Vipers players were signed through RTM?
The Vipers used RTM to secure Khuzaima Bin Tanveer for $75,000 and Bilal Tahir for $10,000.
Can the Desert Vipers squad still change?
Yes. The current list reflects the post-auction squad and may still change through permitted wildcard, replacement or other official roster moves.
Last updated:
1 October 2026
This page reflects the Desert Vipers squad following the DP World ILT20 Season 5 player auction.
ILT20event.com is an independent informational website and is not the official website of DP World ILT20 or Desert Vipers.