UAE cricket fans can rejoice. Season 2 of the DP World ILT20, the UAE’s biggest T20 cricket league and the second most-watched league in India, will be played between January 19 and February 18, 2024.
The full schedule for Season 2 will be unveiled soon, according to an official release.
For the second consecutive year, six teams – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, and Sharjah Warriors – will compete for the DP World ILT20 trophy in a 34-match format – 30 group games and four play-offs including the final.
The Gulf Giants will defend their title. The James Vince-led Giants defeated Desert Vipers by seven wickets in the inaugural season’s final in front of a packed Dubai International Stadium.
The league unveiled a star-studded line-up of new signings for Season 2.
The final step for the six franchises to complete their squads for the DP World ILT20 Season 2 is for additional players from the UAE to be signed.
The league said it would release details of the selection process shortly.
Here’s a list of new and returning players for DP World ILT20 Season 2:
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
New signings: Brandon McMullen, David Willey, Jake Lintott, Josh Little, Laurie Evans, Michael Pepper, Ravi Bopara and Sam Hain.
Retentions: Ali Khan, Andre Russell, Charith Asalanka, Joe Clarke, Sabir Ali, Sunil Narine, Marchant de Lange and Matiullah Khan.
Desert Vipers
New signings: Adam Hose, Azam Khan, Bas de Leede, Michael Jones, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Retentions: Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Colin Munro, Dinesh Chandimal, Gus Atkinson, Luke Wood, Matheesha Pathirana, Rohan Mustafa, Sheldon Cottrell, Sherfane Rutherford, Tom Curran and Wanindu Hasaranga.
Dubai Capitals
New signings: Andrew Tye, Dasun Shanaka, David Warner, Mark Wood, Max Holden, Mohammad Mohsin, Nuwan Thusara, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Roelof van der Merwe, Sadeera Samarawickrama and Sam Billings.
Retentions: Dushmantha Chameera, Joe Root, Raja Akif, Rovman Powell and Sikandar Raza.
Gulf Giants
New signings: Dominic Drakes, Jamie Smith, Jordan Cox, Karim Janat, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Saurabh Netravalkar.
Retentions: Aayan Afzal Khan, Carlos Brathwaite, Chris Jordan, Chris Lynn, Gerhard Erasmus, James Vince, Jamie Overton, Rehan Ahmed, Richard Gleeson, Sanchit Sharma and Shimron Hetmyer.
MI Emirates
New signings: Akeal Hosein, Ambati Rayudu, Corey Anderson, Kusal Perera, Nosthush Kenjige, Odean Smith, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Waqar Salamkheil.
Retentions: Andre Fletcher, Daniel Mousley, Dwayne Bravo, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jordan Thompson, Kieron Pollard, McKenny Clarke, Muhammad Waseem, Nicholas Pooran, Trent Boult, Will Smeed and Zahoor Khan.
Sharjah Warriors
New signings: Chris Sole, Daniel Sams, Dilshan Madhushanka, James Fuller, Johnson Charles, Kusal Mendis, Lewis Gregory, Maheesh Theekshana, Mark Watt, Martin Guptill, Sean Williams, and Qais Ahmed.
Retentions: Chris Woakes, Joe Denly, Junaid Siddique, Mark Deyal, Muhammad Jawadullah and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.
News Source: Gulf Business