The ILT20 has had four seasons and four different champions: Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, Dubai Capitals and, most recently, Desert Vipers. Season 5 starts on 22 November 2026, so this is the right time to look at how the league got here.
This guide covers every final, the six franchises and their owners, the league records and a full review of Season 4, which ended with Desert Vipers' first title.
Every ILT20 final
The six franchises
All-time ILT20 records
Season 4 (2025-26) in full
- The season ran from 2 December 2025 to 4 January 2026 across the UAE.
- Desert Vipers topped the table and beat MI Emirates by 46 runs in the final, making 182/4 and bowling the Emirates out for 136.
- Sam Curran (Desert Vipers) was the leading run scorer with 397 and the Player of the Tournament.
- Waqar Salamkheil (then Dubai Capitals) and Ajay Kumar (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders) shared the wicket-taking lead with 18 each.
Season 5: what is new
The fifth season runs from 22 November to 20 December 2026 across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, with 34 matches (30 league and four playoff) and the final in Dubai. The auction was held on 1 October. Desert Vipers added Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan, Dubai Capitals signed Marcus Stoinis, Phil Salt and Faf du Plessis, and MI Emirates finished with Nicholas Pooran, Rashid Khan and Jonny Bairstow. The match schedule has not been published yet.
Read the team guides
Play free on CricketDream
Every CricketDream game is free, with no entry fee and no prize pool. Pick 11 players within the credit budget, choose a captain (2x points) and vice-captain (1.5x points), and your score updates live through the match.
Open the ILT20 hub. It updates itself when the fixtures are published.
Open ILT20 hubFrequently asked questions
Who has won the ILT20?
Gulf Giants (2023), MI Emirates (2024), Dubai Capitals (2025) and Desert Vipers (2025-26). Four seasons, four different champions.
Who is the ILT20 leading run scorer?
Alex Hales, with 1,156 runs. His 110 off 59 balls against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders is the highest individual score.
Who has taken the most ILT20 wickets?
Fazalhaq Farooqi of MI Emirates, with 50.
What is the highest ILT20 total?
241/3 by MI Emirates against Desert Vipers on 29 January 2023.
Is CricketDream fantasy free to play?
Yes. Fantasy XI, Draft, Multi-Draft, Predictor, Cricket Quiz and CricketQuest are all completely free, with no entry fees and no cash prizes.