The International League T20 (ILT20) is a professional T20 cricket league held in the United Arab Emirates. The competition is sanctioned by the Emirates Cricket Board and features six franchise teams. The Gulf Giants won the inaugural season in 2023, followed by MI Emirates in 2024, Dubai Capitals in 2025, and the Desert Vipers in the 2025–26 season.
The ILT20 allows a higher number of overseas players than most T20 leagues, with up to nine overseas players permitted in a playing XI. Each team must also include at least one player from the UAE and one player from an Associate Member nation in the playing XI.
History The league was officially announced by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) in June 2022 as a professional Twenty20 franchise league based in the United Arab Emirates. The league was initially planned to begin in early 2023, with its first season window announced in June 2022. However, due to scheduling conflicts and organisational preparations, the inaugural edition was later rescheduled and eventually held from 13 January to 12 February 2023.
The league was created with the aim of establishing a world-class T20 tournament and positioning the UAE as a major destination on the global cricket calendar. The tournament featured six city-based franchises, several of which were owned by companies that also own teams in other major leagues such as the Indian Premier League, including ownership links to Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Delhi Capitals.
The ILT20 adopted a distinctive squad composition policy, allowing teams to field up to nine overseas players in a playing XI, significantly higher than most other franchise leagues. To support domestic cricket development, each team was required to include at least two UAE players in their squad.
Although the tournament initially did not have official status because the Emirates Cricket Board is an Associate member of the International Cricket Council, the ILT20 became the first Associate member–run franchise league to be granted List A status by the ICC in December 2023. As a result, all matches and player statistics are officially recognised.
The inaugural season was won by Gulf Giants, who defeated Desert Vipers in the final.
2023 (1st edition)
2024 (2nd edition)
The second edition of the tournament began on 19 January and concluded on 17 February.
The first 2 seasons accumulated 340 Million views globally. 108 million people tuned in from across India even though attendance was low. The second ILT20 season was won by MI Emirates defeated Dubai Capitals by 45 runs to win the title.
2025 (3rd edition)
2025–26 (4th edition)
The fourth season of the International League T20 (ILT20) began on 2 December 2025, earlier than usual to avoid a clash with the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup in February. The tournament will conclude on 4 January 2026.
For the 2025–26 season, the ILT20 adopted a player auction format for the first time, replacing the draft system used in previous years. The auction is scheduled to take place in Dubai on 1 October 2025. Each team had already made retentions and direct signings earlier in the year, and was allowed to spend up to USD 800,000 during the auction, with an overall squad budget ranging from USD 1.5 million to USD 2 million. 2026 (5th edition)
On 13 April 2026, the Emirates Cricket Board confirmed the window for the fifth season. To avoid overlapping with other global T20 leagues like the SA20, the tournament was moved forward to a November–December window, continuing the trend of shifting away from the original January–February slot used in the first three editions.
The fifth season will begin on 22 November 2026, earlier than usual to avoid a clash with the SA20.The tournament will conclude on 20 December 2026.
The auction took place on 1 October 2026. List of 2026 International League T20 auctions and personnel signings - Wikipedia.
Organisation
Trophy The ILT20 Trophy was designed and made by London-based silversmiths Thomas Lyte. Unveiled in October 2022, the trophy's design is intended to reflect the spirit of the league and the heritage and culture of the UAE. The trophy measures 830mm in height, directly proportional to the 830m Burj Khalifa. The falcon is the UAE’s national bird, and its teardrop shape makes up the trophy’s form, while the seven Emirates that make up the UAE form a seven-pointed crown. Inspired by the shape of the sands of Tel Moreeb, the finial sits on top of the trophy holding a cricket ball.
Teams TeamCaptainOwnerHead coach Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Jason Holder Knight Riders Group Dwayne Bravo Desert Vipers Sam Curran Lancer Capital LLC James Foster Dubai Capitals Dasun Shanaka GMR Group Hemang Badani Gulf Giants James Vince Adani Group Jonathan Trott MI Emirates Kieron Pollard Reliance Industries Robin Singh Sharjah Warriorz Tim Southee Capri Global Holdings JP Duminy
Tournament results
SeasonFinal venueWinnersResultRunners-upNo. of teamsPlayer of the series2023Dubai International Cricket Stadium, DubaiGulf GiantsGulf Giants won by 7 wicketsScorecardDesert Vipers6Chris Jordan (GG)2024MI EmiratesMI Emirates won by 45 runsScorecardDubai CapitalsSikandar Raza (DC)2025Dubai CapitalsDubai Capitals won by 4 wicketsScorecardDesert VipersSam Curran (DV)2025–26Desert VipersDesert Vipers won by 46 runsScorecardMI Emirates
Grounds
DubaiSharjahAbu Dhabi Dubai International Cricket Stadium Sharjah Cricket Stadium Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 16,000 Capacity: 20,000 Teams' performances
Season2023202420252025–26Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 6th 4th 6th 3rd Dubai Capitals 4th RU C 4th Desert Vipers RU 5th RUCGulf Giants C 3rd 5th 5thMI Emirates 3rd C 4th RUSharjah Warriorz 5th 6th 3rd 6th Champions Runners Up
Rules The ILT20 has a number of rules which vary from the established Laws of cricket or those used in other Twenty20 leagues: Nine out of eleven players on each team can be overseas players, which will be significantly higher than the four or five overseas-player-limit of other major T20 leagues. Two players on each team must be a UAE player and a player from an Associate Member nation respectively. Teams can use a substitute, termed a "Super Sub", from a list of Seven players named as possible substitutes. The substitution can be made before the start of innings, when a wicket falls, when a batter retires, or at the end of an over. Both teams can introduce a substitute once per match.
Controversy There has been some controversy around the ILT20's plan to only require one local (UAE) player in the playing XI of each team, with several Full Members calling for regulations requiring a higher minimum number of local players in the ILT20 and other T20 leagues. Attendance was low due to lack of participation of Indian cricketers.
Records and statistics BattingMost runsAlex Hales (DV)1,156Highest scoreAlex Hales (DV)110 (59) vs Knight Riders (20 January 2023)Highest partnershipAndre Fletcher & Tom Banton (MIE)198 vs (Vipers) (27 January 2025)BowlingMost wicketsFazalhaq Farooqi (MIE)50FieldingMost dismissals (wicket-keeper)Nicholas Pooran (MIE)25Most catches (fielder)Muhammad Waseem (MIE)20Team recordsHighest totalMI Emirates 241/3 (20) vs Vipers (29 January 2023)Lowest totalSharjah Warriors74 (12.1) vs Emirates (26 January 2024)Desert Vipers74 (12.3) vs Emirates (27 January 2025)
Broadcasters In May 2021, Essel Group owned Zee Entertainment Enterprises bought the media rights of this league for ten years from 2023 to 2032 at a cost of US$120 million. (Also see approx. $10.2 million a year). The events are attended by international celebrities and cricket legends every year.
+Territory/RegionChannelAfghanistanAriana TelevisionAustraliaFox CricketBangladeshNagorik TV T Sports ToffeeCaribbeanRush Sports IndiaZee (various channels) MaldivesMedianetMiddle East and North AfricaCricbuzzNepalStyx Sports Sim TV Nepal Net TV NepalNew ZealandSky Sport (New Zealand)PakistanTAPMAD PTV Sports Geo Super A SportsSri Lanka&flix Supreme TVUAECricbuzzUnited KingdomBT Sport Zee TV Sky SportsNorth AmericaWillow (TV channel) Source: ILT20
References
External links International League T20 official website International League T20 Series home at Cricinfo