DP World ILT 20 Heads Back to Dubai- What Makes the 2026 Season a Must-Watch Event?

December 5, 2025 | Dubai, UAE: Cricket lovers, prepare yourself for the signature ILT 20 league in the UAE. The 4th round of DP World ILT 20 will commence on 2 December 2025, with defending champions Dubai Capitals playing against Desert Vipers, the same two teams in the final of last year at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The league is highly promising this year, with a new group of players, new captains at various franchises, and new goals on the minds of teams as they strive to establish their presence. 

Teams & Captains In 2025–26 ILT 20

The league ILT 20 has six franchises and they are Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, the Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, and Sharjah Warriorz. 

Ahead of Season 4, captains for each franchise are as follows:

These line-ups of ILT 20 reflect a blend of experienced internationals and promising new signings — a mix that, according to captains and players, adds plenty of unpredictability and excitement to the tournament. 

Where To Buy ILT 20 Tickets

• Virgin Megastore is the official ticketing partner of ILT 20 – the tickets will be sold through a special portal. 

• Purchasing the ticket portal can be done on the official site of ILT 20. 

• There can also be a small number of tickets sold at the stadium box-offices (in locations where ILT 20 takes place). 

How to book Tickets?

• Open ILT20 site and, in the menu, select Tickets and this takes you to Virgin Megastore ILT 20 portal. 

• Selection of the match to attend. 

• Select your seat (general, pavilion, and premium basing on availability and price). 

• Make payment online, get an e-ticket (or QR code) which leads to the stadium entry. 

 Ticket Price Range for ILT 20 (2025–26)

• The tickets for children begin at AED 10. 

• Adult General admission tickets begin at AED 20. 

• Seats of higher-tier (pavilions, premium) will be more expensive, based on the stadium and game. 

• VIP/hospitality packages (suites, premium boxes) can also be purchased by people who would like to have a premium experience. 

What’s New This Season?

The 2025-26 ILT 20 will introduce a few new things: a player auction has been arranged before the season, and the teams have the opportunity to change and reinforce the squads. This involved foreign players, as well as, local talent based in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, a pointer of the expansion and the ambition of the league. 

The league structure is still in the form of a double round-robin that shall be followed by a playoff, which will end with the final set to be held on 4 January 2026. There are 34 games scheduled in the season. 

Based on the official programme: the first match (Dubai Capitals vs Desert Vipers) will be played at 8:00 PM IST on 2 December at Dubai. 

The league remains a showcase of the next generation of talent – and a reunion board by the experienced ILT 20 players – with a number of players noting the combination of young and experienced talent in their teams. 

Anticipations And Dreams

Exuding the outlets of every franchise, optimism is in the air. Jason Holder, the captain of the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, told him that the team is looking forward to recovering after a poor performance last season, in which they finished in the last place, and he accentuates that they are powerful and deep. 

In the case of Gulf Giants, Moeen Ali described the re-structured team as a chance to reaffirm the team on its value and compete towards the title. 

The new leadership at MI Emirates is also an indication of ambition: they expect their blend of UAE members and foreign talent to produce the same performance throughout the season. 

In the meantime, the captain of Sharjah Warriorz, Tim Southee, also pointed out the rising level of domestic talent in UAE, as well as the efforts of the longstanding players, such as Dinesh Karthik, and said he was sure the standard in the league would be at an all-time high. 

What to watch?

• Repeat of the final season:The first match of the season reenacted the match between Dubai Capitals and Desert Vipers.

• New captains, new tactics: As most of the teams have had changes in their leadership, there might be a change in the dynamics of tactics, and it will be difficult to anticipate who will take a lead.

• Discovery of local talent: Inclusion of Saudi players and Kuwaiti players could change the make-up of the squads, and potentially reveal some new talents.

• The experience and youth balance: The teams with both international giants and the domestic talent could provide a good platform to unexpected discoveries.

• Playoffs drama: 34 matches and a double round-robin and playoffs format will be very important in terms of consistency, yet the end-of-the-year drama is not excluded.

With ILT 20 in the fourth season, it appears that the tournament can only continue to cement itself in the international T20 cricket calendar. Its mixture of international and regional spirit, growth and competitive intensity means that the fans will be riveted with fireworks on and off the field.

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