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ILT20 (Source: Twitter)
The upcoming second edition of the ILT20 is scheduled to take place between January 19 and February 18 next year. Six teams, including Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Dubai Capitals, MI Emirates, Sharjah Warriors, Desert Vipers, and defending champions Gulf Giants, will participate this season, competing in a total of 34 matches across venues in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah within a 30-day timeframe.
Notably, renowned cricketers such as David Warner, Mark Wood, Shadab Khan, and Ambati Rayudu have recently signed up for this season. Warner and Wood, who were rivals in the recent Ashes series, will be teammates at Capitals. Meanwhile, Shadab Khan will join forces with Pakistan compatriots Shaheen Shah Afridi and Azam Khan at Vipers, and Ambati Rayudu, who retired from all Indian cricket after IPL 2023 and is currently participating in the CPL, has been acquired by MI Emirates. Additionally, Martin Guptill and Maheesh Theekshana will represent Warriors, alongside Lewis Gregory.
The schedule of the ILT20's second season will overlap with the five-match Test series between India and England starting on January 25 in Hyderabad. Notably, players such as Mark Wood and Joe Root, who are part of the ILT20, are expected to be in the England squad for that Test series. Additionally, David Warner, another ILT20 participant, is set to fulfil his commitments with Sydney Thunder in the BBL, which concludes on January 24, before joining the ILT20 in the UAE. In addition, to participate, Warner will need a No-Objection Certificate from Cricket Australia.
Second season to commence on January 10
The second season of ILT20 will run concurrently with South Africa's SA20 league, scheduled from January 10 to February 10. This overlap coincides with the previous season as well. While specific dates for the PSL and BPL haven't been announced, there may also be scheduling overlaps with the ILT20.
The final phase of assembling the squad will include the selection of UAE players, and more information regarding this is expected to be disclosed soon, as stated in an official announcement.
In February of this year, shortly after the Gulf Giants were crowned champions in the inaugural ILT20, it was revealed that the ILT20 for 2024 would commence on January 13, 2024. However, this start date has been modified. The ILT20 was introduced as one of the two new men's franchise leagues last year, alongside the SA20, with some team owners involved in both leagues and the IPL.