Desert Vipers CEO explains why Babar Azam was high on priority list

Defending champions Desert Vipers secured Babar Azam at the ILT20 auction held on October 2, 2026, for the upcoming season set to begin on November 22. The Pakistan batter was picked at his base price of USD 80,000 alongside fellow countrymen Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman and Naseem Shah. The auction took place ahead of the tournament finals scheduled for December 20, 2026.

Desert Vipers CEO Phil Oliver explained the franchise's approach to acquiring Babar during the auction process. The decision-making team at the Vipers table included, Development Lead Jack Luffman, Head of Operations Sam Charnley and cricket analyst Freddie Wilde. He outlined the specific qualities that made Babar a priority signing for the franchise.

“It's good to have Babar with us. I mean, he is a player of high pedigree. I mean, that’s what you start with. I think we’re talking about the player with the most men’s T20 international runs, top scorer in the PSL, and that’s not to be sniffed at. So, when someone like that is available, you absolutely look at what it can bring to your top order. You obviously need a bit of a balance with this squad when you go into an auction and he was very much high on our list of priorities," said Oliver as quoted by Wisden.

Babar's T20 international record underscores his value to the franchise. The 31-year-old holds the record for most runs in men's T20Is with 4,596 runs across 136 innings at a strike rate of 128. In the Pakistan Super League, Babar stands as the leading run-scorer with 4,380 runs in 109 innings. His recent form in 2026 saw him finish as the leading run-scorer with 588 runs across 11 innings, including two centuries, and he was named captain of the PSL Team of the Tournament.

“I think T20 conditions, playing the UAE, you do need a different skill set in some cases with your batting and yeah, I think the combination we've got at the top of the order, it feels like we've got all bases covered. So yeah, we're very pleased to have him and yeah, I think a key pickup for us, really that we were delighted to secure him pretty early on,” said Oliver.

Babar's recent international status added context to his availability for franchise cricket. The Pakistan batter had not featured in T20I cricket since the T20 World Cup held earlier in 2026. He was also absent from Pakistan's T20I squad selection for the upcoming bilateral series against Sri Lanka, making his move to Desert Vipers a significant addition to the franchise's plans for the 2026-27 season.