Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has reportedly offered a contract worth Rs 150 million to be part of the second edition of the International League T20 (ILT20) which has not been finalized due to various reasons. The 2nd season of the ILT20 will take place from January 19 to February 18, 2024.
Pakistan Cricket Board did not allow their national players to participate in the inaugural season earlier this year, despite big offers for the players to be part of the league in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Last year, Vipers had signed Azam Khan, which would have made him the first Pakistan player in the ILT20, but the PCB eventually did not grant him the no-objection certificate to play in the league.
PCB revised their decision to allow players for the second edition of the league, with Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, and Azam Khan signing in the league for Desert Vipers.
Earlier, Babar Azam’s father revealed the reason behind the Pakistan skipper playing the Lanka Premier League after rejecting the lucrative offer from Global T20 Canada, where he wanted to play in Sri Lanka to get himself ready for the Asia Cup.
The 28-year-old is regarded as one of the greatest batters from Pakistan to play in World Cricket. Babar Azam will have a huge test in his captaincy skills as they will play Asia Cup 2023 and ODI World Cup 2023 later this year, as his gameplay and captaincy will be crucial for their team in the ICC events later this year in India.
Several Pakistan players will join the Bangladesh Premier League sides starting on January 10, With Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan joining the franchise for a few games in the league. Pakistan speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi was offered a deal worth $400,000 for a year and is slated to receive additional payment for image rights.
With the season scheduled to begin on January 13, Afridi will join the group after returning from Australia after the New Year’s Test in Sydney. Afridi will join a bowling attack that already has Wanindu Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirana.
David Warner, Mark Wood, Azam Khan, and Ambati Rayudu have recently been signed by the franchise for the second edition of the tournament. The second season of the ILT20 will also run the second season of the SA20 league in South Africa.