News DeskDubai: The Gulf’s premier cricket tournament, the DP World International League T20 (ILT20), is set to return with a bang as Season 4 begins on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. The opening fixture will be a highly anticipated rematch of last season’s grand finale, pitting defending champions Dubai Capitals against the formidable Desert Vipers at the Dubai International Stadium.
The curtain-raiser, scheduled for 6:30 pm local time, promises to set a thrilling tone for the campaign. In a repeat of Season 3’s gripping contest, which saw the Capitals triumph by four wickets in a last-over finish, fans are eager to witness another clash between the two heavyweight franchises.
The 34-match tournament will be hosted across three premier venues in the UAE. The Dubai International Stadium will stage 15 matches, Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi will be the venue for 11, and the Sharjah Cricket Stadium is set to host eight matches.
Following the opener, the action shifts to Sharjah on Wednesday, December 3, where Sharjah Warriorz will take on Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. Two former champions will then face off on Thursday, December 4, as Gulf Giants, the inaugural winners, go up against Season 2 champions MI Emirates at the Dubai International Stadium.
After a double-league round-robin stage consisting of 30 matches, the top four teams will advance to the playoffs. The postseason schedule is as follows:
- Qualifier 1 (Team 1 vs Team 2): Tuesday, December 30, at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi.
- Eliminator (Team 3 vs Team 4): Thursday, January 1, at the Dubai International Stadium.
- Qualifier 2 (Loser of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Eliminator): Friday, January 2, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
The Season 4 finale will take place on Sunday, January 4, at the Dubai International Stadium, where the winner of Qualifier 1 will battle the winner of Qualifier 2 for the coveted DP World ILT20 trophy. The highly anticipated final is also scheduled to begin at 6:30 pm.
