Sharjah Warriorz vs Desert Vipers, Monday, 23 November 2026 — evening session, Sharjah
The 4th match of the DP World ILT20 Season 5 is Sharjah Warriorz against Desert Vipers on Monday, 23 November 2026, in the evening session, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah. It is the evening game at a ground hosting 8 matches this season.
This is the fourth match of the season and the Warriorz' second home game in Sharjah, a day after they opened against Gulf Giants. The Vipers, meanwhile, arrive from Dubai, where they opened the season against MI Emirates on Saturday. The full scorecard will appear on this page once the match is played.
Scorecard
Match yet to begin. The scorecard appears here once the match starts.
How both sides arrive in Season 5
Pre-season — the season starts on Saturday 21 November 2026, so there is no Season 5 form yet. What follows is what each side brings into the tournament.
| Team | Captain | Coach | ILT20 titles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharjah Warriorz | James Vince | Adrian Birrell | no ILT20 title yet |
| Desert Vipers | Babar Azam | James Foster | 2025-26 |
James Vince's side has the attack to trouble any batting order: Adil Rashid, Mohammad Nabi and Waqar Salamkheil, last season's leading bowler award winner, all play for Sharjah. The question is whether the batting can give that attack something to defend against the champions, after the opening game the day before.
Babar Azam leads the defending champions, and the Vipers' record in this fixture is the story of the match: eight wins from nine, including Qualifier 2 in February 2025 by 7 wickets and both league meetings last season. James Foster's side knows Sharjah well enough to treat this as a game they expect to win.
Two points, and the first marker of the season
A win is worth two points, and a no-result is worth one. Each side plays ten league matches, and the top four reach the playoffs.
Two points are on offer, and for the Warriorz they would be worth far more than that: a first win over the champions in over a year would announce Sharjah as a side to take seriously. For the Vipers, the stakes are about keeping a winning start intact and protecting a record that has become part of their identity.
With ten league matches per side and the top four reaching the playoffs from 16 December, early wins matter most to the teams chasing the pack. The Warriorz cannot afford to fall to two defeats in their opening two home games; the Vipers, as champions, cannot afford to hand a rival belief.
The players who can decide it
Every name below links to that player's profile.
James Vince captains the Warriorz and opens their batting. He is the batter his side looks to for a fast start at home, and against the Vipers' new-ball attack his first ten balls will set the tone for the night.
Sikandar Raza gives the Warriorz a middle-order batter who can also bowl, and his all-round game is built for Sharjah's slower surface. If the Warriorz are to break their run against the Vipers, Raza will need to be involved in both innings.
Babar Azam captains the defending champions, and his record against Sharjah is part of the Vipers' dominance in this fixture. The Warriorz attack will test him with spin in the middle overs, and his answer will decide the Vipers' total.
Fakhar Zaman opens for the Vipers and attacks from the first ball. In Sharjah, where totals can be hard to chase under lights, a fast start from Fakhar would put the home side on the back foot before their spinners come on.
Past meetings between these two sides
Nine meetings, and the Vipers lead 8–1 — the most one-sided fixture of the opening week. The Warriorz' only win came in January 2024, and the Vipers have won the last five meetings, including Qualifier 2 in February 2025 and both league games last season, by 4 wickets and by 5 wickets.
Vipers lead the head-to-head 8–1 across 9 past meetings, from the 2023 season to last season.
| Date | Stage | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 7 February 2025 | Qualifier 2 | Desert Vipers won by 7 wickets |
| 20 December 2025 | Match 22 | Desert Vipers won by 4 wickets |
| 26 December 2025 | Match 28 | Desert Vipers won by 5 wickets |
Match information
| Ground | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah |
| Series | DP World ILT20 |
| Season | 2026-27, Season 5 |
| Match number | Match 4 |
| Match Days | Monday, 23 November 2026 |
| Points | Winner 2, loser 0 |
Evening session — the exact start time has not been published, so this page lists the session only. Match yet to begin — the scorecard will appear on this page after the match.
Frequently asked questions
When does Sharjah Warriorz vs Desert Vipers start?
Match 4 is played on Monday 23 November 2026 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, in the evening session. The exact start time has not been published, so this page lists the session only. It is the Warriorz' second home game in two days, after their opener against the Giants.
Who captains each side in Match 4?
James Vince captains Sharjah Warriorz, with Adrian Birrell coaching. Babar Azam captains Desert Vipers, with James Foster coaching the defending champions. Vince leads the Warriorz at home, while Babar leads the defending champions in his first ILT20 season as captain.
What is the head-to-head record?
The sides have met nine times, with Desert Vipers winning eight and Sharjah Warriorz winning once. The Vipers have won the last five meetings in a row. The Vipers have won the last five meetings, including Qualifier 2 in February 2025 by 7 wickets.
Who are the players to watch?
James Vince and Sikandar Raza for the Warriorz, and Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman for the Vipers. Fakhar's opening burst against the Warriorz spinners is the contest that could settle it early. Sikandar Raza anchors the Warriorz middle order, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman opens the Vipers' spin attack.
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