ILT20 Season 5: Allen, Miller and Klaasen headline pre-auction signings as Stoinis returns
New Zealand opener Finn Allen joins Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, while South Africa duo David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen sign with Gulf Giants. Marcus Stoinis returns to Dubai Capitals after a three-year absence.
The International League T20 has finalised its pre-auction foreign player signings for Season 5, with six franchises completing their initial recruitment ahead of the main player auction in Dubai on 1 October. The move sees New Zealand opener Finn Allen, South African batsmen David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen make their tournament debuts, while Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis returns to the competition.
Allen has signed with the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, bringing a prolific international record to the franchise. The 27-year-old recently scored a 33-ball century against South Africa in the semi-final of the 2026 T20 World Cup and has accumulated 1,663 runs in 62 T20 Internationals at a strike rate of 170.73. He joins a Knight Riders side that has also retained Jason Holder and Sunil Narine.
Miller and Klaasen have agreed to terms with the Gulf Giants. Miller, a left-handed batter with 140 T20I appearances, brings significant experience to the squad, having scored 2,804 runs at an average of 33.78. Klaasen, known for his destructive capabilities against spin, has scored 1,000 T20I runs in 58 matches. The Gulf Giants have also retained Azmatullah Omarzai and Blessing Muzarabani.
Stoinis marks his return to the league with the Dubai Capitals after a three-year absence. The Australian all-rounder, who was part of the 2021 T20 World Cup-winning side, has scored 1,416 runs in 87 T20Is and taken 53 wickets. He joins a Dubai Capitals squad that has kept Rovman Powell and Mustafizur Rahman, while also adding Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad from the Desert Vipers.
Other notable movements include Mujeeb-ur-Rahman moving to the defending champions, Desert Vipers, from Dubai Capitals. The Vipers have also retained Shimron Hetmyer, Andries Gous and Dan Lawrence. MI Emirates have secured the return of Nicholas Pooran, Rashid Khan and Romario Shepherd, along with Sherfane Rutherford, while Sharjah Warriorz have signed James Vince, Adam Milne and Waqar Salamkheil, retaining Sikandar Raza.
Each franchise was permitted to sign up to four foreign players prior to the auction, which will take place in Dubai on 1 October. The tournament is scheduled to return in November and December, with squads required to meet specific size regulations before the competition begins.
