DP World ILT20, the UAE’s biggest T20 cricket league and the second most watched league in India, is set to return next year, with new players and tournament dates now revealed.
Season 2 of the UAE cricket league will be played between January 19 and February 18, 2024.
The full schedule for Season 2 is yet to be unveiled, but players for the six teams have been revealed.
For the second consecutive year, the six teams in the ILT20 are:
- Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
- Desert Vipers
- Dubai Capitals
- Gulf Giants
- MI Emirates
- Sharjah Warriors
The teams will compete for the DP World ILT20 trophy in a 34-match format, including 30 group games and four play-offs including the final.
Gulf Giants will defend their title. The James Vince-led Giants defeated Desert Vipers by seven wickets in the inaugural season’s final in front of a packed Dubai International Stadium.
Earlier this week, the league unveiled a star-studded line-up of new signings for Season 2.
The final step for the six franchises to complete their squads for the DP World ILT20 Season 2 is for additional players from the UAE to be signed.
Full list of new and returning players for DP World ILT20 Season 2:
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
New signings: Brandon McMullen, David Willey, Jake Lintott, Josh Little, Laurie Evans, Michael Pepper, Ravi Bopara and Sam Hain
Retentions: Ali Khan, Andre Russell, Charith Asalanka, Joe Clarke, Sabir Ali, Sunil Narine, Marchant de Lange and Matiullah Khan
Desert Vipers
New signings: Adam Hose, Azam Khan, Bas de Leede, Michael Jones, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi
Retentions: Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Colin Munro, Dinesh Chandimal, Gus Atkinson, Luke Wood, Matheesha Pathirana, Rohan Mustafa, Sheldon Cottrell, Sherfane Rutherford, Tom Curran and Wanindu Hasaranga
Dubai Capitals
New signings: Andrew Tye, Dasun Shanaka, David Warner, Mark Wood, Max Holden, Mohammad Mohsin, Nuwan Thusara, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Roelof van der Merwe, Sadeera Samarawickrama and Sam Billings
Retentions: Dushmantha Chameera, Joe Root, Raja Akif, Rovman Powell and Sikandar Raza
Gulf Giants
New signings: Dominic Drakes, Jamie Smith, Jordan Cox, Karim Janat, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Saurabh Netravalkar
Retentions: Aayan Afzal Khan, Carlos Brathwaite, Chris Jordan, Chris Lynn, Gerhard Erasmus, James Vince, Jamie Overton, Rehan Ahmed, Richard Gleeson, Sanchit Sharma and Shimron Hetmyer
MI Emirates
New signings: Akeal Hosein, Ambati Rayudu, Corey Anderson, Kusal Perera, Nosthush Kenjige, Odean Smith, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Waqar Salamkheil
Retentions: Andre Fletcher, Daniel Mousley, Dwayne Bravo, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jordan Thompson, Kieron Pollard, McKenny Clarke, Muhammad Waseem, Nicholas Pooran, Trent Boult, Will Smeed and Zahoor Khan
Sharjah Warriors
New signings: Chris Sole, Daniel Sams, Dilshan Madhushanka, James Fuller, Johnson Charles, Kusal Mendis, Lewis Gregory, Maheesh Theekshana, Mark Watt, Martin Guptill, Sean Williams and Qais Ahmed
Retentions: Chris Woakes, Joe Denly, Junaid Siddique, Mark Deyal, Muhammad Jawadullah and Tom Kohler-Cadmore
