ILT20 season 5 schedule unveiled, tournament set to begin on November 22

The fifth season of the International League T20 (ILT20) is all set to be held from November 22 to December 20, 2026. The league will feature 34 matches, including 30 league games and the four playoffs to be played across three venues in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

The six-team tournament, which was played in December-January last season, has been further moved to an earlier window this year to avoid overlaps with several other leagues, scheduled around the same time, such as the SA20, which is scheduled to begin in January 2027.

ILT20 CEO David White expressed his excitement ahead of the upcoming season, highlighting the tournament’s grand success in season 4.

“We are pleased to confirm the DP World International League T20 Season 5 window. The biggest cricketing spectacle in the Gulf region will be played from Sunday, 22 November to Sunday, 20 December 2026. We are delighted with Season 4’s success. The broadcast numbers, spectators’ interest and the participation of the biggest T20 stars made the tournament a remarkable success as the quality of the league grew further,” said White in a media release.

ILT20 season 5 auction to be held soon

The ILT20 season 5 will again feature a player’s auction, giving an opportunity to the six teams, namely Desert Vipers, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, Dubai Capitals, Sharjah Warriorz and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, to reinforce their squads ahead of the season.

“The DP World ILT20 Season 4 Player Auction was a great success as well, and we are already gearing up for this year’s auction. There are a number of exciting announcements and initiatives that will be revealed in the coming days,” White added.

Desert Vipers will enter the season as defending champions, having won the previous edition of the tournament, while Gulf Giants, MI Emirates and Dubai Capitals are past winners of the tournament.