ILT20 Teams 2026: All 6 Season 5 Teams, Players, Owners & Coaches
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The DP World International League T20 (ILT20) Season 5 will feature six franchises: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates and Sharjah Warriorz.
ILT20 Season 5 will be played in the United Arab Emirates from 22 November to 20 December 2026. The competition will feature 34 matches, with the final scheduled for Dubai International Stadium on 20 December.
Each franchise has currently confirmed four players ahead of the ILT20 Season 5 Player Auction on 1 October 2026. Full squads, captains and complete team-by-team schedules are still being finalised.
| Season 5 update: This page covers the upcoming November–December 2026 Season 5. Older December 2025 and January 2026 fixtures belong to Season 4. |
How Many Teams Are in ILT20 2026?
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There are six teams in DP World ILT20 Season 5. The franchise line-up remains unchanged for the fifth edition.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders |
Desert Vipers |
Dubai Capitals |
Gulf Giants |
MI Emirates |
Sharjah Warriorz
ILT20 Teams 2026 at a Glance
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| Team | Short Name | Owner | Titles | 2026 Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | ADKR | Knight Riders Group | 0 | TBA |
| Desert Vipers | DV | Lancer Capital LLC | 1 | TBA |
| Dubai Capitals | DC | GMR Group | 1 | TBA |
| Gulf Giants | GG | Adani Sportsline | 1 | TBA |
| MI Emirates | MIE | Reliance Industries | 1 | TBA |
| Sharjah Warriorz | SW | Capri Global | 0 | TBA |
ILT20 Winners by Season
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The first four ILT20 seasons have produced four different champions.
| Season | Year | Champion |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 2023 | Gulf Giants |
| Season 2 | 2024 | MI Emirates |
| Season 3 | 2025 | Dubai Capitals |
| Season 4 | 2026 | Desert Vipers |
| Season 5 | 2026 | To be decided |
| Defending Champions: Desert Vipers enter Season 5 as reigning champions after defeating MI Emirates by 46 runs in the Season 4 final on 4 January 2026. |
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Team 2026
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Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ADKR) represent Abu Dhabi in the International League T20 and are owned by the Knight Riders Group.
ADKR reached Qualifier 2 in Season 4. They defeated Dubai Capitals in the Eliminator before MI Emirates ended their campaign one match short of the final.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 2026 Team Details
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| Team | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders |
| Short Name | ADKR |
| Owner | Knight Riders Group |
| Head Coach | Dwayne Bravo |
| Season 5 Captain | To be announced |
| ILT20 Titles | 0 |
| Season 4 Result | Qualifier 2 |
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Confirmed Players 2026
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- Finn Allen
- Jason Holder
- Matthew Tromp
- Sunil Narine
Finn Allen is one of ADKR’s major additions and is set to make his first ILT20 appearance. Jason Holder and Sunil Narine provide extensive T20 experience, while Matthew Tromp completes the currently confirmed four-player group.
Captain: To be announced.
Desert Vipers Team 2026
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The Desert Vipers are owned by Lancer Capital LLC and enter ILT20 Season 5 as defending champions.
The Vipers won their first title on 4 January 2026, defeating MI Emirates by 46 runs in the Season 4 final.
Desert Vipers 2026 Team Details
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| Team | Desert Vipers |
| Short Name | DV |
| Owner | Lancer Capital LLC |
| Director of Cricket | Tom Moody |
| Latest Head Coach | James Foster |
| Season 5 Captain | To be announced |
| ILT20 Titles | 1 |
| Latest Championship | Season 4 – 2026 |
Desert Vipers Confirmed Players 2026
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- Andries Gous
- Dan Lawrence
- Mujeeb-ur-Rahman
- Shimron Hetmyer
Andries Gous and Dan Lawrence remain part of the defending champions’ setup, while Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Shimron Hetmyer complete the currently confirmed Season 5 group.
Captain: To be announced.
Dubai Capitals Team 2026
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The Dubai Capitals are owned by the GMR Group and won the ILT20 championship in Season 3.
Dubai reached the Season 4 playoffs but were eliminated by Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.
Dubai Capitals 2026 Team Details
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| Team | Dubai Capitals |
| Short Name | DC |
| Owner | GMR Group |
| Head Coach | Hemang Badani |
| Season 5 Captain | To be announced |
| ILT20 Titles | 1 |
| Championship | Season 3 – 2025 |
Dubai Capitals Confirmed Players 2026
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- Marcus Stoinis
- Mustafizur Rahman
- Noor Ahmad
- Rovman Powell
Marcus Stoinis returns to the ILT20, while Noor Ahmad joins Dubai Capitals. Mustafizur Rahman and Rovman Powell provide continuity ahead of the auction.
Captain: To be announced.
Gulf Giants Team 2026
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The Gulf Giants are owned by Adani Sportsline and were the inaugural ILT20 champions.
Season 5 brings a refreshed coaching setup and two major South African batting additions.
Gulf Giants 2026 Team Details
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| Team | Gulf Giants |
| Short Name | GG |
| Owner | Adani Sportsline |
| Head Coach | Simon Helmot |
| Season 5 Captain | To be announced |
| ILT20 Titles | 1 |
| Championship | Season 1 – 2023 |
Gulf Giants Confirmed Players 2026
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- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Blessing Muzarabani
- David Miller
- Heinrich Klaasen
David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen are major additions ahead of Season 5. Azmatullah Omarzai and Blessing Muzarabani provide continuity from the previous campaign.
The franchise has appointed Simon Helmot as head coach.
Captain: To be announced.
MI Emirates Team 2026
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MI Emirates are owned by Reliance Industries and form part of the wider Mumbai Indians franchise family.
MI Emirates won the Season 2 title and finished runners-up in Season 4.
MI Emirates 2026 Team Details
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| Team | MI Emirates |
| Short Name | MIE |
| Owner | Reliance Industries |
| Latest Confirmed Head Coach | Robin Singh |
| Season 5 Captain | To be announced |
| ILT20 Titles | 1 |
| Championship | Season 2 – 2024 |
| Season 4 Result | Runners-up |
MI Emirates Confirmed Players 2026
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- Nicholas Pooran
- Rashid Khan
- Romario Shepherd
- Sherfane Rutherford
Nicholas Pooran, Rashid Khan and Romario Shepherd form an experienced core, while Sherfane Rutherford joins for Season 5.
Captain: To be announced.
ILT20 2026 Confirmed Players by Team
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As of 6 September 2026, 24 players are confirmed across the six franchises.
| Team | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | Player 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Finn Allen | Jason Holder | Matthew Tromp | Sunil Narine |
| Desert Vipers | Andries Gous | Dan Lawrence | Mujeeb-ur-Rahman | Shimron Hetmyer |
| Dubai Capitals | Marcus Stoinis | Mustafizur Rahman | Noor Ahmad | Rovman Powell |
| Gulf Giants | Azmatullah Omarzai | Blessing Muzarabani | David Miller | Heinrich Klaasen |
| MI Emirates | Nicholas Pooran | Rashid Khan | Romario Shepherd | Sherfane Rutherford |
| Sharjah Warriorz | Adam Milne | James Vince | Waqar Salamkheil | Sikandar Raza |
See the
ILT20 Squads 2026
page for detailed player updates.
ILT20 Team Captains 2026
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The complete list of ILT20 Season 5 captains has not yet been officially confirmed.
| ILT20 Team | Season 5 Captain |
|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | To be announced |
| Desert Vipers | To be announced |
| Dubai Capitals | To be announced |
| Gulf Giants | To be announced |
| MI Emirates | To be announced |
| Sharjah Warriorz | To be announced |
ILT20 2026 Team Owners and Coaches
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| Team | Owner | Coaching / Cricket Leadership |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Knight Riders Group | Dwayne Bravo – Head Coach |
| Desert Vipers | Lancer Capital LLC | Tom Moody – Director of Cricket |
| Dubai Capitals | GMR Group | Hemang Badani – Head Coach |
| Gulf Giants | Adani Sportsline | Simon Helmot – Head Coach |
| MI Emirates | Reliance Industries | Robin Singh – Latest Confirmed Head Coach |
| Sharjah Warriorz | Capri Global | Adrian Birrell – Head Coach |
ILT20 Season 5 Player Auction 2026
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The ILT20 Season 5 Player Auction will take place in Dubai on 1 October 2026.
Teams will build squads of between 18 and 23 players, with the option of adding one wildcard signing after the auction.
Player registration closes on 12 September 2026.
ILT20 Teams 2026 Schedule
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Season 5 runs from 22 November to 20 December 2026.
The competition contains 34 matches, with the final scheduled for Dubai International Stadium on 20 December.
The full team-by-team Season 5 fixture list has not yet been released.
See our
ILT20 2026 Schedule
page for updates.
Where Do the ILT20 Teams Play?
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ILT20 matches are played across the United Arab Emirates, primarily at major cricket venues in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
| Venue | City / Emirate |
|---|---|
| Dubai International Stadium | Dubai |
| Zayed Cricket Stadium | Abu Dhabi |
| Sharjah Cricket Stadium | Sharjah |
Latest ILT20 Team News – September 2026
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Each franchise has now confirmed its initial four-player Season 5 group.
Player registration remains open until 12 September 2026, while the Development Tournament begins on 14 September.
The main Player Auction follows on 1 October 2026.
ILT20 Teams 2026 FAQs
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How many teams are in ILT20 2026?
There are six teams: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates and Sharjah Warriorz.
Who are the defending ILT20 champions?
Desert Vipers are the defending champions after winning Season 4 in January 2026.
Which ILT20 team has won the most titles?
No team currently leads outright. Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, Dubai Capitals and Desert Vipers have each won one title.
Who owns Abu Dhabi Knight Riders?
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders are owned by the Knight Riders Group.
Who owns Desert Vipers?
Desert Vipers are owned by Lancer Capital LLC.
Who owns Dubai Capitals?
Dubai Capitals are owned by the GMR Group.
Who owns Gulf Giants?
Gulf Giants are owned by Adani Sportsline.
Who owns MI Emirates?
MI Emirates are owned by Reliance Industries.
Who owns Sharjah Warriorz?
Sharjah Warriorz are owned by Capri Global.
Who are the ILT20 captains in 2026?
The complete Season 5 captain list has not yet been announced.
When is the ILT20 2026 Player Auction?
The Player Auction takes place in Dubai on 1 October 2026.
When does ILT20 2026 start?
Season 5 begins on 22 November 2026 and concludes on 20 December 2026.
More ILT20 2026 Coverage
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