The third season of the ILT20 will begin on January 11, 2025, in Dubai, with MI Emirates taking on Dubai Capitals in the opening match. The tournament will run until February 9, with Dubai hosting the final. A total of 34 matches will be played across three UAE cities, with Dubai International Stadium staging 15 games, Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Cricket Stadium hosting 11, and Sharjah featuring eight matches. Evening matches will start at 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and 6:00 p.m. on weekends, while double-headers will see afternoon games at 2:00 p.m.
This year’s edition will see the tournament compete directly with several prominent leagues, including the SA20, the Big Bash League (BBL), the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), and New Zealand’s Super Smash. The SA20, which runs from January 9 to February 8, presents the biggest clash, while the BBL and BPL overlap with ILT20 for a significant portion of January and February.
The scheduling conflict is causing major decisions for players who have signed up for multiple leagues. David Warner, for example, will remain in Australia for the entirety of the BBL season, meaning he will miss the start of the ILT20 with Dubai Capitals until January 17. In contrast, New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson will join the ILT20 after starting the BBL season with Sydney Thunder, where he will play under Warner’s leadership before leaving for Desert Vipers.
Other notable players caught in the clash include Matthew Wade, Chris Jordan, and Shai Hope, who are committed to both the BBL and ILT20. The tournament will also see the return of high-profile players like Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Rovman Powell, with newcomers such as Fakhar Zaman, Jason Roy, and Shimron Hetmyer set to make their debuts.
The ILT20, which received List A status from the ICC prior to the 2025 season, will retain its January-February window despite the growing competition for players’ time. While there were discussions about shifting the tournament to the October-November period in 2025, the organizers have decided to stick to the current window for the time being.
The ILT20 season will run in parallel with a packed cricket calendar, including the Champions Trophy, with significant implications for scheduling and player availability in the coming years.
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