The fourth season of the DP World ILT20 is set to commence on December 2, 2025, coinciding with UAE National Day, and will be broadcasted by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd ('Z') across its TV and digital platforms. The 34-match tournament will be held across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, with the final match scheduled for January 4, 2026.
Broadcast Details
Cricket fans in India and around the world can watch the live action on &Pictures SD, Zee Cinema HD, Zee Action, Zee Thirai SD, and Zee Cinemalu. Zee5 Hindi, the exclusive digital partner, will offer free-to-view live streaming, expanding access for cricket fans across India and beyond. Matches will be broadcast in both Hindi and English. This multi-language telecast and expansive distribution strategy ensure that cricket reaches every corner of the country.
Laxmi Shetty, Head – Advertisement Revenue, Broadcast and Digital, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., expressed her enthusiasm: "At 'Z' we are delighted to bring to viewers the fourth season of DP World ILT20, offering fans an even more engaging and inclusive viewing experience across our network". She also stated that with world-class players, iconic stadiums, infrastructure, and six leading sporting franchises, the goal is to build upon previous years' successes and further solidify the league's stature as one of the most widely followed cricket events.
Participating Teams and Players
The six participating franchise teams include MI Emirates (Reliance Industries), Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Kolkata Knight Riders), Dubai Capitals (GMR), Gulf Giants (Adani Sportsline), Desert Vipers (Lancer Capital), and Sharjah Warriors (Capri Global).
Several Indian players will participate in this year's competition, including Dinesh Karthik, Piyush Chawla, and Unmukt Chand. International stars such as Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, Sam Curran, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, and Shakib Al Hasan will also feature in the tournament. Other notable players include Alex Hales, Chris Woakes, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Phil Salt, Tim David, and Lockie Ferguson.
New Signings and Retentions
Several teams have made significant additions to their squads. The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders have brought in Alex Hales, Liam Livingstone, and Sherfane Rutherford. The Desert Vipers have added Andries Gous. The Dubai Capitals have strengthened their bowling attack with Luke Wood and Muhammad Jawadullah. The Gulf Giants have signed Azmatullah Omarzai, Moeen Ali, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. MI Emirates have acquired Chris Woakes and Kamindu Mendis. The Sharjah Warriorz have added Maheesh Theekshana, Sikandar Raza, Saurabh Netravalkar, and Tim David.
ILT20 Season 4 Schedule
The DP World ILT20 Season 4 will commence on December 2, 2025, aligning with the UAE National Day. The decision to start the league on this date is symbolic, embedding cricket within a broader cultural celebration. The tournament will run until January 4, 2026, with 34 matches to be played in a double round-robin format followed by playoffs. The ICC Men's T20 World Cup is scheduled for February-March 2026, hence the ILT20 season 4 has been scheduled to end before the T20 World Cup.
Player Auction
The DP World ILT20 will hold its first-ever auction on September 30, 2025, in Dubai. Each of the six franchises will have 13 slots to fill, creating 78 opportunities for cricketers. All franchises must have a minimum of 19 players and a maximum of 21 players by the end of the auction (excluding wildcards). Within this, there must be a minimum of 11 players from ICC Full Member countries, four from the UAE, one from Kuwait, one from Saudi Arabia, and two from other ICC Associate Nations.
