Latest News

See All News

Retentions and New Signings for ILT20 2025

ILT20 Retentions and New Signings for Season 3 | Team Wise

ILT20 UAE Local Players 2025 – Season 3 | Team-wise List

ILT20 Starting Date of 3rd Season 2025: Begins January 9th!

Dubai Capitals Owners List 2025 – GMR Group

Gulf Giants Owners List 2025 – Adani Sportsline

Sharjah Warriors Owner List 2025 – Capri Global

International League T20 Players Stats & Records

International League T20 ILT20 Players Stats & Records

ILT20 to Clash with BBL, SA20, and BPL: Understanding the Overlap in T20 Leagues

ILT20 UAE League | International League T20

The International League T20 (ILT20), also referred to as the DP World ILT20 due to its sponsorship, is a professional T20 cricket tournament held annually in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The league is sanctioned by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) and has quickly become one of the most prominent T20 leagues in the Middle East. Despite being a relatively new league, the ILT20 has successfully attracted top international players, bringing excitement to cricket fans across the globe.

The league’s main objective is to provide a competitive platform that helps develop local UAE players while maintaining global standards. Founded in 2022, the ILT20 completed its first season in 2023 and has since established itself as a significant player in the global T20 landscape.

ILT20: Origins and Inception

The idea of establishing a high-profile T20 league in the UAE emerged as a part of the Emirates Cricket Board’s long-term strategy to develop cricket in the country. The UAE has hosted several international tournaments, including the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL), owing to its world-class facilities and neutral venue status. The ILT20 was launched to capitalize on this infrastructure and bring an elite T20 competition to the Middle East.

The ILT20 was officially founded in 2022, with the first edition originally planned for early 2023. However, it was later rescheduled to start from January 2024, involving six franchise teams. The league quickly gained recognition and popularity, thanks to its international player pool, high-quality matches, and excellent stadium facilities in Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi.

ILT20 Schedule

As it is the 3rd season, it is decided to schedule in January and February. On January 11, 2025, the first game will be played. There are 34 matches in which six teams will face each other. On 9 February 2025, the final game will kick out.

Date & Time	Match (Versus)	Venue
Saturday, 11 Jan - 6:00 PM	Dubai Capitals vs MI Emirates	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Sunday, 12 Jan - 2:00 PM	Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Desert Vipers	Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Sunday, 12 Jan - 6:00 PM	Gulf Giants vs Sharjah Warriors	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Monday, 13 Jan - 6:30 PM	MI Emirates vs Dubai Capitals	Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tuesday, 14 Jan - 6:30 PM	Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Wednesday, 15 Jan - 6:30 PM	Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Sharjah Warriors	Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Thursday, 16 Jan - 6:30 PM	Desert Vipers vs MI Emirates	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Friday, 17 Jan - 6:30 PM	Sharjah Warriors vs Dubai Capitals	Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Saturday, 18 Jan - 2:00 PM	Desert Vipers vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Saturday, 18 Jan - 6:00 PM	Gulf Giants vs Dubai Capitals	Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Sunday, 19 Jan - 2:00 PM	Sharjah Warriors vs MI Emirates	Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Sunday, 19 Jan - 6:00 PM	Gulf Giants vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Monday, 20 Jan - 6:30 PM	Dubai Capitals vs Desert Vipers	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Tuesday, 21 Jan - 6:30 PM	Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs MI Emirates	Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Wednesday, 22 Jan - 6:30 PM	Desert Vipers vs Sharjah Warriors	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Thursday, 23 Jan - 6:30 PM	Dubai Capitals vs Gulf Giants	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Friday, 24 Jan - 6:30 PM	MI Emirates vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders	Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Saturday, 25 Jan - 2:00 PM	Sharjah Warriors vs Desert Vipers	Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Saturday, 25 Jan - 6:00 PM	MI Emirates vs Gulf Giants	Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Sunday, 26 Jan - 2:00 PM	Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Dubai Capitals	Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Sunday, 26 Jan - 6:00 PM	Sharjah Warriors vs Gulf Giants	Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Monday, 27 Jan - 6:30 PM	MI Emirates vs Desert Vipers	Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tuesday, 28 Jan - 6:30 PM	Dubai Capitals vs Sharjah Warriors	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Wednesday, 29 Jan - 6:30 PM	Desert Vipers vs Gulf Giants	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Thursday, 30 Jan - 6:30 PM	Sharjah Warriors vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders	Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Friday, 31 Jan - 6:30 PM	Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Saturday, 1 Feb - 6:00 PM	Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Gulf Giants	Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Sunday, 2 Feb - 2:00 PM	MI Emirates vs Sharjah Warriors	Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Sunday, 2 Feb - 6:00 PM	Dubai Capitals vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Monday, 3 Feb - 6:00 PM	Desert Vipers vs Dubai Capitals	Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Wednesday, 5 Feb - 6:30 PM	Qualifier 1: Seed 1 vs Seed 2	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Thursday, 6 Feb - 6:30 PM	Eliminator: Seed 3 vs Seed 4	Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Friday, 7 Feb - 6:30 PM	Qualifier 2: Loser of Q1 vs Winner of Eliminator	Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Sunday, 9 Feb - 6:00 PM	Final: Winner of Q1 vs Winner of Q2	Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

ILT20 Opening Ceremony 2025

The international T20 League flourishing in UAE will have its first match on 11th January 2025. Before the match, a brilliant and amusing opening ceremony will be held. Although, who will participate in this ceremony? This will be announced soon by the ECB.

ILT20 Opening Ceremony

International League T20 Start Date

The third season of the International League T20 (ILT20) is set to begin on 11 January 2025, with the final scheduled for 9 February 2025. Defending champions MI Emirates will aim to retain their title in this exciting tournament, held across Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi stadiums.

IL-T20 Team Owners

Six teams are owned by the following owners: Most of them are IPL team owners.

Team	Owner
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders	Knight Riders Group
Desert Vipers	Lancer Capital LLC
Dubai Capitals	GMR Group
Gulf Giants	Adani Group
MI Emirates	Indiawin Sports
Sharjah Warriors	Capri Global Holdings

ILeague T20 Venues

According to the ECB, all matches of the 2025 International T20 League (ILT20) will be played in the UAE’s four major stadiums. The following are the venues in the UAE:

ILT20 Venues

Sharjah Cricket Stadium

Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium

Dubai International Stadium

Team's Coaches

All clubs in the International T20 League have appointed big names. Coaching staff from many different countries are there to set up competitive cricket games and provide a place to do high-impact training. The coaches’ list is shown below.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders – Bharat Arun
Desert Vipers – James Foster
Dubai Capitals – Phil Simmons
Gulf Giants – Andy Flower
MI Emirates – Robin Singh
Sharjah Warriors – Johan Botha

UAE Premier League Captains

Team	Captain
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders	Sunil Narine
Desert Vipers	Colin Munro
Dubai Capitals	David Warner
Gulf Giants	James Vince
MI Emirates	Nicholas Pooran
Sharjah Warriors	Tom Kohler-Cadmore

ILT20 Broadcasting Channels

The ECB has contracted with ZEE Entertainment Enterprises and for the next 10 years. They now have global media rights for ILT20 broadcasting. They purchased it for $120 million.

Back in May 2021, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, owned by the Essel Group, secured the media rights for this league. The deal spans a decade, running from 2023 to 2032, and was sealed at a hefty price tag of US$120 million.

Every cricket lover can watch the ILT20 matches live on the Zee Entertainment Liner Sports Channels. However, depending on your location, you may see the following table for channel details

Territory/Region	Channel
Afghanistan	Ariana Television
Australia	Fox Cricket
Bangladesh	Nagorik TV
	T Sports
	Toffee
Caribbean	Rush Sports (2024)
India	Zee Cinema
	Zee Anmol Cinema
	Zee Zest
	Zee Thirai
	Zee Bangla Cinema
	&Pictures
	&Flix
	Sony Sports Network 2025-32
	Zee5 (Live Streaming Free)
Maldives	Medianet
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)	CricLife 3
Nepal	Sim TV Nepal
Nepal	Net TV Nepal
New Zealand	Sky Sports NZ
Pakistan	PTV Sports
Pakistan	Geo Super
Sri Lanka	Supreme TV
United Kingdom	BT Sport
United Kingdom	Zee TV
United States	Willow TV

ILT20 Format and Rules 2025

The ILT20 adopts a double round-robin format, meaning each of the six teams competes against every other team twice during the regular season. This format ensures more matches, increasing the excitement for fans and giving teams more opportunities to perform. After the completion of the league stage, the top four teams qualify for the playoffs, which follow this structure:

Semi-Final 1: The top two teams compete to secure a direct spot in the final.
Semi-Final 2: The third and fourth-placed teams face off for a spot in the final.
Third-Place Play-Off: The losing teams from the semi-finals compete for third place.
Final: The winners of the semi-finals battle it out to become the champions of the ILT20.

The playoffs add an element of unpredictability to the tournament, making it one of the most exciting phases of the league. The ILT20 has also implemented a set of unique rules that make it stand out from other T20 leagues, including increased participation of overseas players and innovative substitution options.

Key Innovations and Rules

The ILT20 has introduced several unique rules that aim to enhance the competitiveness of the league and provide better opportunities for both local and international players.

Nine Overseas Players: Unlike most T20 leagues, which limit the number of overseas players to four or five, the ILT20 allows each team to field up to nine international players. This rule aims to raise the standard of competition and attract world-class players.
Local Player Requirement: Each team must include at least one UAE player and one player from an Associate Member nation. This rule encourages the development of local talent while ensuring diversity in the playing XI.
Super Sub Rule: The league has introduced a “Super Sub” rule, where each team can substitute one player per match. Teams can select their substitute from a list of seven potential players, and the substitution can be made at strategic points, such as before an innings, after a wicket, or at the end of an over. This rule adds a layer of strategy, allowing teams to adapt quickly to match situations.
List-A Status: In December 2023, the ILT20 achieved List-A status from the International Cricket Council (ICC), making it the first T20 league run by an Associate nation to receive official recognition. This status ensures that the league’s statistics and records are officially counted, further boosting its credibility.

Season 1 (2023): Gulf Giants 🏆

The inaugural season of the ILT20 was held from January 13 to February 12, 2023, marking the beginning of a new era in UAE cricket. The tournament saw enthusiastic participation from fans, although the absence of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi players was felt.

Tournament Highlights

The Gulf Giants emerged as champions, defeating the Desert Vipers in a thrilling final.
Chris Jordan from Gulf Giants was named the Player of the Series, with exceptional performances as a bowler and fielder.
The highest total of the tournament was scored by MI Emirates, who posted 241/3 against the Vipers on January 29, 2023.
Alex Hales from Desert Vipers recorded the highest individual score of 110 runs in 59 balls against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.

The first season was a success in terms of viewership, with 108 million viewers tuning in from India, thanks to the broadcast on Zee5 and Zee channels. Despite low stadium attendance due to the absence of some top players, the league managed to create a buzz among T20 fans.

2023 Champions🏆

Season 2 (2024): MI Emirates 🏆

The second season of the ILT20 ran from January 19 to February 17, 2024, introducing significant changes, including its List-A status. The tournament featured several high-scoring matches and thrilling finishes.

Key Moments

MI Emirates won the second season, defeating the Dubai Capitals by a margin of 45 runs in the final.
Sikandar Raza from Dubai Capitals was named the Player of the Series for his all-around performance.
The lowest total in the league’s history was recorded by the Sharjah Warriors, who were bowled out for just 74 runs against MI Emirates.

The second season saw increased interest, with more teams focusing on a strong local talent pool, leading to better overall performance from UAE players.

2024 Champions🏆

Records and Statistics

Most Runs

795 runs

Most Wickets

31 Wickets

Most Sixes

54 Sixes

Highest Team Total

241/3

Against Vipers 2023

Lowest Team Total

74/10

Against Emirates 2024

Category	Record	Player/Team	Details
Most runs	795	James Vince (GG)
Highest average	68.28	Kieron Pollard (MIE)
Highest score	110 (59)	Alex Hales (DV)	vs Knight Riders (20 January 2023)
Highest partnership	164	Alex Hales & Colin Munro (DV)	vs Knight Riders (20 January 2023)
Most sixes	54	Nicholas Pooran (MIE)
Most fifties	8	James Vince (GG)
Most wickets	31	Chris Jordan (GG)
Best strike rate	10.66	Muhammad Rohid
Best economy rate	4.75	Adam Zampa
Most dismissals (wicket-keeper)	14	Nicholas Pooran (MIE)
Most catches (fielder)	15	Chris Jordan (GG)
Most matches	25	Sam Billings (DC/DV)
Most matches as captain	23	James Vince (GG)
Highest total	241/3 (20)	MI Emirates	vs Vipers (29 January 2023)
Lowest total	74 (12.1)	Sharjah Warriors	vs Emirates (26 January 2024)