International League T20 (ILT20) is a professional Twenty20 franchise cricket tournament run in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The T20 is an official DP World International League competition that gathers International Cricket greats, emerging talent, and those based in the UAE in six franchise teams. It is one of the biggest professional T20 tournaments in the Gulf region. The league offers a fantastic opportunity for international cricketers to play in a franchise format and also helps to further the development of cricket in the UAE. The matches are played at three iconic cricket stadiums: Dubai International Stadium, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah Cricket Stadium.Â
International League T20 League Overview
The Emirates Cricket Board introduced a new cricket league called the International League T20 in 2021, and they played the first edition in January 2023. The initial rounds of the competition began with six franchises and included an international vs. local talent format.
The tournament is a double round-robin. The number of matches played at the league stage is 30, with each team competing with the remaining 5 teams twice. The top four teams advance to the playoffs, which include: Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Final. Thus, there are 34 matches to compete in.
ILT20 2026 will kick off on 21st November 2026 and run through to the end of 20th December 2026. After winning the 2025–26 edition, Desert Vipers will defend their title in the 2026–27 tournament. Having won the edition of 2025-26, Desert Vipers will look to defend their title in the 2026-27 tournament.
| Particular | Details |
| Full Name | International League T20 |
| Official Name | DP World International League T20 |
| Common Abbreviation | ILT20 |
| Country | United Arab Emirates |
| Governing Body | Emirates Cricket Board |
| Established | 2021 |
| Inaugural Season | 2023 |
| Tournament Format | Twenty20 (T20) |
| Number of Teams | 6 |
| Total Matches | 34 per season |
| League-Stage Matches | 30 |
| Playoff Matches | 4 |
| Main Venues | Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah |
| Title Sponsor | DP World |
| Season 5 | 2026 |
| Season 5 Opening Date | 21 November 2026 |
| Season 5 Final Date | 20 December 2026 |
| Defending Champions | Desert Vipers |
History of the International League T20
The International League T20 was launched to set up a big professional T20 league in the UAE. The country had already hosted international cricket matches and major tournaments, and thus it was appropriate to host a tournament featuring Indian Franchises. The Emirates Cricket Board set up the league in 2021. They held the first tournament in January 2023. In the first edition, 6 franchises took part, which included international players as well as UAE cricketers.
The first final was held on 12 February 2023. Gulf Giants defeated Desert Vipers by seven wickets to become the first ILT20 champions. In subsequent seasons, participation in the competition continued to grow, as did the number of players and businesses from overseas. A significant change was the tournament window. The first three editions were held in January and February; the fourth edition was set for December 2025 and January 2026. The fifth edition will be in May and June 2027.
| Year | Major Development |
| 2021 | International League T20 established |
| 2023 | Inaugural season held; Gulf Giants became champions |
| 2024 | MI Emirates won their first championship |
| 2025 | Dubai Capitals secured the third-season title |
| 2025–26 | Desert Vipers won their maiden championship |
| 2026 | Fifth edition scheduled for November–December |
ILT20 Teams and Franchise Owners
The International League T20 has six franchises representing different cities and cricketing regions of the UAE.
| No. | Team Name | Abbreviation | Base | Owner |
| 1 | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | ADKR | Abu Dhabi | Knight Riders Group |
| 2 | Desert Vipers | DV | UAE | Lancer Capital |
| 3 | Dubai Capitals | DC | Dubai | GMR Group |
| 4 | Gulf Giants | GG | UAE | Adani Sportsline |
| 5 | MI Emirates | MIE | UAE | Reliance Industries |
| 6 | Sharjah Warriorz | SW | Sharjah | Capri Global |
ILT20 Tournament Format and Rules
The ILT20 follows the traditional T20 cricket format, with two teams competing in a match. Each team receives a maximum of 20 overs to score runs, subject to match conditions.
| Stage | Teams Involved | Matches | Purpose |
| League Stage | All six teams | 30 | Establish the league standings |
| Qualifier 1 | First vs Second | 1 | Winner qualifies directly for the final |
| Eliminator | Third vs Fourth | 1 | Loser gets eliminated |
| Qualifier 2 | Loser of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Eliminator | 1 | Decide the second finalist |
| Final | Winners of Qualifier 1 and Qualifier 2 | 1 | Determine the champion |
| Total | Six franchises | 34 | Complete tournament |
How the ILT20 Points System Works
The points system determines the position of each franchise in the league table.
| Match Result | Points Awarded |
| Win | 2 |
| Loss | 0 |
| Tie | As per applicable playing conditions |
| No Result | As per applicable playing conditions |
ILT20 Venues and Stadiums
The International League T20 takes place at three established cricket stadiums in the UAE. These grounds regularly host international matches and provide facilities for professional T20 competitions.
| Stadium | City | Season 5 Scheduled Matches |
| Dubai International Stadium | Dubai | 15 |
| Zayed Cricket Stadium | Abu Dhabi | 11 |
| Sharjah Cricket Stadium | Sharjah | 8 |
| Total | Three venues | 34 |
International League T20 Winners List: All Seasons
Four editions of the International League T20 have been completed, and four different franchises have won the championship.
| Season | Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Final Result |
| Season 1 | 2023 | Gulf Giants | Desert Vipers | Won by 7 wickets |
| Season 2 | 2024 | MI Emirates | Dubai Capitals | Won by 45 runs |
| Season 3 | 2025 | Dubai Capitals | Desert Vipers | Won by 4 wickets |
| Season 4 | 2025–26 | Desert Vipers | MI Emirates | Won by 46 runs |
| Season 5 | 2026 | To be determined | To be determined | Upcoming |
Most Successful Teams in ILT20 History
No franchise has won the competition more than once across the four completed editions. Four different teams have one championship each.
| Team | Titles | Winning Seasons |
| Gulf Giants | 1 | 2023 |
| MI Emirates | 1 | 2024 |
| Dubai Capitals | 1 | 2025 |
| Desert Vipers | 1 | 2025–26 |
| Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | 0 | — |
| Sharjah Warriorz | 0 | — |
Desert Vipers are the defending champions heading into Season 5. Their victory over MI Emirates in January 2026 was their first ILT20 championship.
International League T20 Schedule and Important Dates
The fifth edition of the DP World International League T20 2026 will run from 21 November to 20 December 2026. Six franchises will compete in 34 matches across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
| Event | Date | Venue |
| Opening Match | 21 November 2026 | Dubai International Stadium |
| League Stage Begins | 21 November 2026 | Dubai |
| First Sharjah Match | 22 November 2026 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium |
| First Abu Dhabi Match | 26 November 2026 | Zayed Cricket Stadium |
| League Stage Ends | 14 December 2026 | UAE |
| Qualifier 1 | 16 December 2026 | Abu Dhabi |
| Eliminator | 17 December 2026 | Dubai |
| Qualifier 2 | 18 December 2026 | Sharjah |
| Grand Final | 20 December 2026 | Dubai International Stadium |
Season 5 Opening Matches
| Date | Match | Venue | UAE Time |
| 21 November | Desert Vipers vs MI Emirates | Dubai | 6:30 PM |
| 22 November | Sharjah Warriorz vs Gulf Giants | Sharjah | 2:00 PM |
| 22 November | Dubai Capitals vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Dubai | 6:30 PM |
| 23 November | Sharjah Warriorz vs Desert Vipers | Sharjah | 6:30 PM |
| 24 November | Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates | Dubai | 6:30 PM |
| 25 November | Dubai Capitals vs Desert Vipers | Dubai | 6:30 PM |
ILT20 Season 5 Teams and Star Players
Season 5 features several internationally recognised cricketers. The franchises strengthened their squads through pre-auction signings and the player auction held in October 2026.
| Team | Notable Players |
| Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Finn Allen, Moeen Ali, Sunil Narine, Jason Holder, Colin Munro |
| Desert Vipers | Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shimron Hetmyer, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan |
| Dubai Capitals | Faf du Plessis, Marcus Stoinis, Phil Salt, Mustafizur Rahman, Rovman Powell |
| Gulf Giants | Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Liam Livingstone, Azmatullah Omarzai, Blessing Muzarabani |
| MI Emirates | Rashid Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Sherfane Rutherford, Muhammad Waseem |
| Sharjah Warriorz | Mohammad Nabi, Sikandar Raza, Adil Rashid, James Vince, Adam Milne |
International League T20 Records and Achievements
The International League T20 has produced several impressive individual performances since its inaugural edition.
| Rank | Player | Matches | Runs | Highest Score |
| 1 | Alex Hales | 47 | 1,405 | 110 |
| 2 | Nicholas Pooran | 40 | 1,277 | 69* |
| 3 | Muhammad Waseem | 46 | 1,241 | 89* |
| 4 | James Vince | 42 | 1,239 | 86 |
| 5 | Tom Banton | 35 | 1,081 | 105 |
| 6 | Tom Kohler-Cadmore | 39 | 1,049 | 106* |
| 7 | Rovman Powell | 43 | 900 | 97 |
| 8 | Kieron Pollard | 35 | 885 | 86 |
| 9 | Sikandar Raza | 43 | 858 | 64 |
| 10 | Johnson Charles | 30 | 833 | 93 |
Statistics cover the first four completed editions.
ILT20 All-Time Bowling Records
| Rank | Player | Matches | Wickets | Best Bowling |
| 1 | Fazalhaq Farooqi | 40 | 64 | 5/16 |
| 2 | Waqar Salamkheil | 32 | 41 | 4/29 |
| 3 | Jason Holder | 29 | 40 | 4/23 |
| 4 | Wanindu Hasaranga | 26 | 39 | 3/10 |
| 5 | Chris Jordan | 24 | 35 | 3/12 |
| 6 | Sikandar Raza | 43 | 33 | 3/21 |
| 7 | Sunil Narine | 41 | 29 | 3/12 |
| 8 | David Payne | 17 | 27 | 4/29 |
| 9 | Mohammad Amir | 20 | 26 | 4/24 |
| 10 | Trent Boult | 22 | 25 | 3/14 |
Highest Individual Scores in ILT20
| Player | Highest Score | Balls Faced | Season |
| Andries Gous | 120* | 58 | 2025–26 |
| Alex Hales | 110 | 59 | 2023 |
| Tom Kohler-Cadmore | 106* | 47 | 2023 |
| Tom Banton | 105 | 55 | 2025 |
| Tom Banton | 102* | 55 | 2025 |
| Shai Hope | 101 | 59 | 2025 |
Major ILT20 Achievements
| Achievement | Record or Details |
| Inaugural Champions | Gulf Giants |
| Most Successful Team | Four teams tied with one title each |
| All-Time Leading Run Scorer | Alex Hales |
| All-Time Leading Wicket Taker | Fazalhaq Farooqi |
| Highest Individual Score | Andries Gous – 120* |
| Best Bowling Figures | Fazalhaq Farooqi – 5/16 |
| Season 1 MVP | Chris Jordan |
| Season 2 MVP | Sikandar Raza |
| Season 3 MVP | Sam Curran |
| Season 4 MVP | Sam Curran |
| Best UAE Player Award | Muhammad Waseem – four consecutive editions |
International League T20 Live Streaming and Broadcasting
The International League T20 has an international broadcasting and digital distribution network.
| Platform | Coverage |
| Official ILT20 Website | Fixtures, results, news and tournament updates |
| ZEE Television | Television coverage in India, subject to channel announcements |
| ZEE5 | Digital coverage in India |
| Cricbuzz | Live scores, scorecards and match statistics |
| ESPNcricinfo | Match reports, statistics and cricket analysis |
| Official ILT20 YouTube Channel | Videos, highlights and selected tournament content |
ILT20 vs IPL: Key Differences
The International League T20 and Indian Premier League are professional T20 franchise competitions.
| Feature | ILT20 | IPL |
| Full Name | International League T20 | Indian Premier League |
| Country | United Arab Emirates | India |
| First Season | 2023 | 2008 |
| Governing Body | Emirates Cricket Board | BCCI |
| Format | T20 Franchise Cricket | T20 Franchise Cricket |
| Number of Teams | 6 | 10 |
| Total Matches | 34 | 74 (current 10-team format) |
| Main Venues | Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah | Different Indian cities |
| Tournament Structure | Double round-robin and playoffs | League stage and playoffs |
| Main Objective | Develop UAE cricket and international franchise cricket | Promote Indian cricket and franchise cricket |
| Tournament History | Relatively new | Established competition |
Conclusion
Established in 2021 and with its inaugural edition kicking off in 2023, the International League T20 has become a significant professional cricket tournament. The tournament provides an exciting platform for T20 cricket in the UAE with 6 franchises, international players, and 3 major cricket grounds. The franchises with the most victories so far are: Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, Dubai Capitals, and Desert Vipers. The fifth edition is notable in that the champions, this time Desert Vipers, will come in to defend their title.
Season 5 will kick off on 21 November 2026, with Desert Vipers taking on MI Emirates at the first game. The final will be held on 20 December 2026 at Dubai International Stadium. International participation, along with local talent development and a surge in commercial interest, has the opportunity to make ILT20 a steadily strong event in the world of franchise cricket.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A1. ILT20 is a league format. It is officially known as DP World International League T20.
A2. The Emirates Cricket Board set up the league in 2021, and the first season of the league began in January 2023.
A4. There are 6 franchises: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, and Sharjah Warriorz.
A4. Gulf Giants won the first edition in 2023 when they beat Desert Vipers in the final by seven wickets.
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