News
IPL 2025 Winner Among Players Retained For ILT20 2025-26
Follow UsThe six teams were allowed to retain or sign a maximum of eight players
The first process of squad selection for Season 4 of the International League T20 (ILT20) has been completed. Each franchise was allowed to retain a maximum of eight players (Retention + new signings), with the rest of the squad to be completed during the player auction, the date and time of which will be announced in due course.
Among the retained players are Phil Salt, who played a pivotal role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) winning their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title earlier this year. Other than Salt, England’s T20 World Cup 2022 winners Alex Hales, Chris Woakes, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, and Sam Curran will also turn up for the next edition, which gets underway on December 2.
A few players like Hales and Andries Gous were released by Desert Vipers and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ADKR), respectively, but like them, many other such players found a new franchise.
Full list of retained players
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: Alishan Sharafu, Andre Russell, Charith Asalanka, Phil Salt and Sunil Narine.
Desert Vipers: Dan Lawrence, David Payne, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Lockie Ferguson, Max Holden, Sam Curran and Wanindu Hasaranga.
Dubai Capitals: Dasun Shanaka, Dushmantha Chameera, Gulbadin Naib, Rovmann Powell and Shai Hope.
Gulf Giants: Aayan Afzal Khan, Blessing Muzarabani, Gerhard Erasmus, James Vince and Mark Adair.
MI Emirates: AM Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kusal Perera, Romario Shepherd, Tom Banton and Muhammad Waseem.
Sharjah Warriorz: Johnson Charles, Kusal Mendis, Tim Southee and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.
New signings for next season
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: Alex Hales, Liam Livingstone and Sherfane Rutherford.
Desert Vipers: Andries Gous.
Dubai Capitals: Luke Wood, Waqar Salamkheil and Muhammad Jawadullah.
Gulf Giants: Azmatullah Omarzai, Moeen Ali, Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
MI Emirates: Chris Woakes and Kamindu Mendis.
Sharjah Warriorz: Maheesh Theekshana, Sikandar Raza, Saurabh Netravalkar and Tim David.
The six-team tournament, which will consist of as many as 34 matches, will run from December 2, 2025, to January 4, 2026. The fourth season of the league is planned to avoid clashes with other T20 leagues during the January-February window.