Season opener
Season opener · Saturday, 21 November 2026
Desert Vipers vs MI Emirates
ILT20 Season 5, Match 1 · Dubai International Stadium, Dubai · evening session (Gulf Standard Time)
Desert Vipers are the defending champions, and Babar Azam captains them for his first ILT20 season. MI Emirates are captained by Nicholas Pooran.
Exact start times per match are published on the full ILT20 site. This hub shows the session (afternoon or evening) for each fixture.
ILT20 Season 5 points table
The season has not started yet, so there is no points table for Season 5. The table will appear here after the first match on 21 November, and will be updated after every match day. A win is worth 2 points.
ILT20 Season 5 schedule — all 30 league matches
League stage: 21 November – 14 December 2026. Playoffs: 16–18 December, with the final on Sunday 20 December in Dubai. All matches are in Dubai, Sharjah or Abu Dhabi.
| Match | Date | Session | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sat 21 Nov | Evening | Desert Vipers vs MI Emirates | Dubai |
| 2 | Sun 22 Nov | Afternoon | Sharjah Warriorz vs Gulf Giants | Sharjah |
| 3 | Sun 22 Nov | Evening | Dubai Capitals vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Dubai |
| 4 | Mon 23 Nov | Evening | Sharjah Warriorz vs Desert Vipers | Sharjah |
| 5 | Tue 24 Nov | Evening | Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates | Dubai |
| 6 | Wed 25 Nov | Evening | Dubai Capitals vs Desert Vipers | Dubai |
| 7 | Thu 26 Nov | Evening | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs MI Emirates | Abu Dhabi |
| 8 | Fri 27 Nov | Evening | Sharjah Warriorz vs Dubai Capitals | Sharjah |
| 9 | Sat 28 Nov | Afternoon | MI Emirates vs Desert Vipers | Abu Dhabi |
| 10 | Sat 28 Nov | Evening | Gulf Giants vs Dubai Capitals | Dubai |
| 11 | Sun 29 Nov | Afternoon | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Sharjah Warriorz | Abu Dhabi |
| 12 | Sun 29 Nov | Evening | Desert Vipers vs Gulf Giants | Dubai |
| 13 | Mon 30 Nov | Evening | MI Emirates vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Abu Dhabi |
| 14 | Tue 1 Dec | Evening | Gulf Giants vs Sharjah Warriorz | Sharjah |
| 15 | Wed 2 Dec | Afternoon | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Desert Vipers | Abu Dhabi |
| 16 | Wed 2 Dec | Evening | Dubai Capitals vs MI Emirates | Dubai |
| 17 | Thu 3 Dec | Evening | Gulf Giants vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Dubai |
| 18 | Fri 4 Dec | Evening | Desert Vipers vs Sharjah Warriorz | Sharjah |
| 19 | Sat 5 Dec | Evening | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Gulf Giants | Abu Dhabi |
| 20 | Sun 6 Dec | Afternoon | MI Emirates vs Sharjah Warriorz | Abu Dhabi |
| 21 | Sun 6 Dec | Evening | Desert Vipers vs Dubai Capitals | Dubai |
| 22 | Mon 7 Dec | Evening | MI Emirates vs Gulf Giants | Abu Dhabi |
| 23 | Tue 8 Dec | Evening | Dubai Capitals vs Sharjah Warriorz | Dubai |
| 24 | Wed 9 Dec | Evening | Sharjah Warriorz vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Sharjah |
| 25 | Thu 10 Dec | Evening | Dubai Capitals vs Gulf Giants | Dubai |
| 26 | Fri 11 Dec | Evening | Sharjah Warriorz vs MI Emirates | Sharjah |
| 27 | Sat 12 Dec | Evening | Desert Vipers vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Dubai |
| 28 | Sun 13 Dec | Afternoon | MI Emirates vs Dubai Capitals | Abu Dhabi |
| 29 | Sun 13 Dec | Evening | Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers | Dubai |
| 30 | Mon 14 Dec | Evening | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Dubai Capitals | Abu Dhabi |
Fixtures verified against the ILT20 fixtures file (last verified 30 October 2026). Playoff fixtures (16, 17 and 18 December, plus the final on 20 December) depend on the league standings — teams are TBC. Qualifier 2 is in Sharjah on 18 December. The full ILT20 site carries exact start times and every match page: ileaguet20.com.
The six teams
Captain: Babar Azam · Coach: James Foster · Defending champions (2025-26).
Captain: Nicholas Pooran · Coach: Mark Boucher · Champions in 2024.
Captain: Faf du Plessis · Coach: Hemang Badani · Champions in 2025.
Captain: Jos Buttler · Coach: Simon Helmot · Champions in 2023.
Captain: Jason Holder · Coach: Dwayne Bravo · Still chasing a first title.
Captain: James Vince · Coach: Adrian Birrell · Still chasing a first title.
Full squads for every team are on the ILT20 site: ileaguet20.com.
Venues
Three grounds host Season 5. Dubai International Stadium hosts 15 matches, including the opener and the final. Sharjah Cricket Stadium hosts 8 matches, including Qualifier 2. The remaining matches are in Abu Dhabi.
Where to watch the ILT20
Watch the ILT20 only through its official broadcasters. SialTV never links to pirated streams.
In India, the ILT20 is on Zee TV and ZEE5. Broadcasters for Pakistan, the UAE and Gulf, the UK and the USA are still to be confirmed for Season 5 and will be added here once announced.
Frequently asked questions
When does ILT20 Season 5 start?
Season 5 starts on Saturday 21 November 2026 with Desert Vipers against MI Emirates in Dubai, and ends with the final on Sunday 20 December 2026, also in Dubai.
How many teams play in the ILT20?
Six teams: Desert Vipers, MI Emirates, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Sharjah Warriorz. Each team plays 10 league matches.
Who are the defending champions?
Desert Vipers won the 2025-26 season, so they are the defending champions in Season 5. Babar Azam captains them for his first ILT20 season.
Where are ILT20 matches played?
At three grounds in the UAE: Dubai International Stadium (15 matches), Sharjah Cricket Stadium (8 matches) and Abu Dhabi.
Where can I see the full ILT20 schedule and every scorecard?
On the full ILT20 site, ileaguet20.com, which carries the complete fixture list with exact start times, squads, venues and news for Season 5.