Moeen Ali, Andre Russell and Wanindu Hasaranga headline overseas stars for ILT20

UAE’s International League T20 has secured more than 50 international players to compete in its maiden event in 2023

Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Dawid Malan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shimron Hetmyer and Mujeeb Ur Rahman are among more than 50 players to sign up for the inaugural season of the United Arab Emirates' International League T20.

There are currently 15 English players who have already expressed their interest and have agreed to take part

As well as Ali and Malan, Sam Billings, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Tom Banton, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Richard Gleeson, James Vince, Saqib Mahmood and Ben Duckett have expressed an interest.

Benny Howell, who has agreed to re-join Hampshire from Gloucestershire on a white-ball only deal in 2023, is the only uncapped player to put himself forward and more domestic players are likely to be announced in the coming weeks.

The Dubai Emirates Cricket Board confirmed on Monday (August 8) that the white-ball tournament is scheduled to begin on Friday, January 6, 2023. Thirty-four matches will be played over the course of a month, with the final pencilled in for Sunday, February 12.

All teams will play each other twice, before four playoff games. Matches will be spread across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

^{Hampshire-bound Benny Howell is among the English contingent (Tony Marshall/Getty Images)}

The six franchises in the league - owned by Reliance Industries, Kolkata Knight Riders, Capri Global, GMR, Lancer Capital and Adani Sportsline - will now start discussions to acquire players.

Each squad of 18 will have two players from Associate countries and four players from the UAE. The recruitment process will begin after more international signings have been announced.

The competition will clash with the latter stages of the Big Bash League and the new franchise T20 competition in South Africa.

No cricketers from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan feature in the league’s plans at this stage, with Chris Lynn being the only Australian to enter. It is understood that Pakistan players are not involved as they were unlikely to be granted permission from the PCB due to international and domestic commitments.

David Warner has announced that he will not feature in the ILT20 and will instead play in the BBL for the first time since 2013.

It remains to be seen to what extent Moeen will be available given England are in South Africa for a one-day international series in January 2023, matches that will go towards the World Cup Super League.

Dubai is among the three venues for the tournament (AAMIR QURESHI/Getty Images)

Overall, this adds a level of uncertainty to the tournament, as players will have to decide where their loyalties lie.

Khalid Al Zarooni, Chairman of the UAE ILT20 league said: "Over the past weeks, ILT20’s six franchises have started discussions and engaged with players, and players’ agents, to exercise their ‘Direct Acquisition’ rights, and we are extremely delighted to be in a position today to announce the first set of players who will compete in UAE’s Inaugural (T20) League."

Emirates Cricket’s general secretary Mubashshir Usmani added: "We are very excited that a select number of UAE representative players, from our current pool, will also be considered and signed on to participate in the League, it is also extremely important to note that these (UAE) players will form part of the team’s playing XI.

"One of the key objectives for ILT20 is to provide opportunities for players from UAE and other Associate nations to perform on the big stage, and, ECB extends its deep appreciation to the six franchises for their support of our vision to grow our game and create stronger, more competitive players."