Babar Azam to reject mammoth ILT20 contract; to feature in BPL 2024 instead: Reports

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam is likely to opt out of the second edition of the ILT20 to be played in January next year and has reportedly turned down a massive offer. According to reports from News18, Babar was offered a contract worth a whopping half million USD for playing in the ILT20 and the plan seemed to be to make him the brand ambassador.

However, there seemed to be a problem with the image rights and the structure of the payment was also something Babar didn't agree with. This means that the Pakistan captain will feature in the 2024 edition of the Bangladesh Premier League which will happen around the same time.

The Pakistan players weren't allowed to participate in the inaugural edition of ILT20, but this time a number of stars will be participating. However, their ploy of having Babar Azam as the brand ambassador doesn't seem to get fulfilled anytime soon.

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While Babar Azam misses out, Shaheen Afridi has a big payday

Another Pakistan star, fast bowler Shaheen Afridi, has been snapped up by the Desert Vipers in the upcoming edition of the ILT20. He has been signed for a whopping $400,000 and that too excludes the money he would get for image rights, making it a bumper contract.

Shaheen will be joined by compatriots Shadab Khan and Azam Khan at the Desert Vipers for the next edition of the ILT20. The Vipers also have the Sri Lankan duo of Wanindu Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirana, making the bowling attack look extremely solid with the arrival of Shaheen and Shadab.

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Desert Vipers squad: Adam Hose, Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Azam Khan, Bas de Leede, Colin Munro, Dinesh Chandimal, Gus Atkinson, Luke Wood, Matheesha Pathirana, Michael Jones, Rohan Mustafa, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sheldon Cottrell, Sherfane Rutherford, Tom Curran, Wanindu Hasaranga.