Dubai, 7 October 2026: Defending champions Desert Vipers will play MI Emirates in a repeat of last season’s final when the DP World International League T20 (ILT20) Season 5 opens at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday, 21 November.
Evening matches start at 6.30pm UAE time (8pm IST) and afternoon matches at 2pm UAE time (3.30pm IST).
Format and venues
Six teams will play 10 matches each in a 34-match double round-robin tournament. The top four after the 30-match league stage will go into a four-match play-off round, ending with the final at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, 20 December. The 30-day competition includes six double-header days.
Dubai will stage 15 matches, Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Cricket Stadium 11 and the Sharjah Cricket Stadium eight. Ticket details and plans for the opening ceremony will be announced later.
Key early fixtures
- Saturday, 21 November: Desert Vipers v MI Emirates, Dubai (8pm IST)
- Sunday, 22 November: Sharjah Warriorz v Gulf Giants, Sharjah (3.30pm IST)
- Sunday, 22 November: Dubai Capitals v Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Dubai (8pm IST)
- Thursday, 26 November: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders v MI Emirates, Abu Dhabi (8pm IST) – the first match in Abu Dhabi
- Wednesday, 2 December (UAE National Day double-header): Abu Dhabi Knight Riders v Desert Vipers, Abu Dhabi (3.30pm IST); Dubai Capitals v MI Emirates, Dubai (8pm IST)
The opening match in Sharjah, Warriorz against Season 1 champions Gulf Giants, will be the first game of the season at the venue. Season 3 champions Dubai Capitals begin at home against the Knight Riders in the second match of the opening Sunday double-header.
Play-offs (all 8pm IST)
- Wednesday, 16 December: Qualifier 1 (first v second), Abu Dhabi
- Thursday, 17 December: Eliminator (third v fourth), Dubai
- Friday, 18 December: Qualifier 2, Sharjah
- Sunday, 20 December: Final, Dubai
Star names
The squads include Moeen Ali, Usman Tariq and Finn Allen (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders); Babar Azam, Shimron Hetmyer and Naseem Shah (Desert Vipers); Faf du Plessis, Marcus Stoinis and Mustafizur Rahman (Dubai Capitals); Heinrich Klaasen, Liam Livingstone and David Miller (Gulf Giants); Rashid Khan, Nicholas Pooran and Fazalhaq Farooqi (MI Emirates); and Mohammad Nabi, Sikandar Raza and Adil Rashid (Sharjah Warriorz).
