By Zainab Shafiq 
Cricket in the Gulf is gearing up for another thrilling spectacle as ILT20 Season 4 kicks off on 2 December with a blockbuster showdown between defending champions Dubai Capitals and last year’s finalists, Desert Vipers. The rematch has quickly become the headline act of the tournament, sparking excitement among fans who still remember the nail-biting finish in Season 3. With the first ball scheduled for 6:30 pm at the Dubai International Stadium, all eyes will be on whether the Capitals can hold their nerve again or if the Vipers will finally strike back.
The tournament spreads across three of the UAE’s most iconic venues: Dubai International Stadium hosting 15 games, Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi staging 11, and the Sharjah Cricket Stadium setting the stage for eight encounters. The six-team league, featuring powerhouses like Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, Sharjah Warriorz, and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, promises 34 matches of high-intensity cricket in just over a month of action.
ILT20 Season 4 Playoff Pathway
The structure remains as gripping as ever: after 30 league-stage matches, the top four teams will advance to the playoffs. The first and second-placed sides will lock horns in Qualifier 1 on 30 December in Abu Dhabi. A day later, the third and fourth-ranked teams battle it out in the Eliminator at Dubai. The loser of Qualifier 1 then meets the Eliminator winner in Sharjah for a spot in the grand finale. Finally, on 4 January, Dubai International Stadium will once again transform into the heart of Gulf cricket for the much-awaited title clash.
Beyond the tournament opener, fans can look forward to heavyweight contests early in the schedule. Gulf Giants, champions of the inaugural edition, face MI Emirates, winners of Season 2, in what many already call a clash of titans. Meanwhile, Sharjah Warriorz, fresh from their breakthrough playoff run last season, take on Abu Dhabi Knight Riders to ignite the tournament’s first night in Sharjah. Below is the full schedule:
DP World ILT20 Season 4 – Tournament schedule – all timings are local timings – Gulf Standard Time:
Tuesday, 2 December – Dubai Capitals vs Desert Vipers – 6:30pm, Dubai
Wednesday, 3 December – Sharjah Warriorz vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders – 6:30pm, Sharjah
Thursday, 4 December – Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates – 6:30pm, Dubai
Friday, 5 December – Desert Vipers vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders – 6:30pm, Sharjah
Saturday, 6 December – Dubai Capitals vs Gulf Giants – 6:30pm, Dubai
Sunday, 7 December – Sharjah Warriorz vs MI Emirates – 2:00pm, Sharjah
Sunday, 7 December – Dubai Capitals vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders – 6:30pm, Dubai
Monday, 8 December – Desert Vipers vs Gulf Giants – 6:30pm, Dubai
Tuesday, 9 December – MI Emirates vs Desert Vipers – 6:30pm, Abu Dhabi
Wednesday, 10 December – Gulf Giants vs Sharjah Warriorz – 6:30pm, Dubai
Thursday, 11 December – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs MI Emirates – 6:30pm, Abu Dhabi
Friday, 12 December – Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers – 6:30pm, Dubai
Saturday, 13 December – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Dubai Capitals – 6:30pm, Abu Dhabi
Sunday, 14 December – MI Emirates vs Sharjah Warriorz – 2:00pm, Abu Dhabi
Sunday, 14 December – Desert Vipers vs Dubai Capitals – 6:30pm, Dubai
Monday, 15 December – Sharjah Warriorz vs Gulf Giants – 6:30pm, Sharjah
Tuesday, 16 December – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Desert Vipers – 6:30pm, Abu Dhabi
Wednesday, 17 December – Dubai Capitals vs MI Emirates – 6:30pm, Dubai
Thursday, 18 December – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Gulf Giants – 6:30pm, Abu Dhabi
Friday, 19 December – Sharjah Warriorz vs Dubai Capitals – 6:30pm, Sharjah
Saturday, 20 December – MI Emirates vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders – 2:00pm, Abu Dhabi
Saturday, 20 December – Desert Vipers vs Sharjah Warriorz – 6:30pm, Dubai
Sunday, 21 December – Gulf Giants vs Dubai Capitals – 2:00pm, Sharjah
Sunday, 21 December – Desert Vipers vs MI Emirates – 6:30pm, Dubai
Monday, 22 December – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Sharjah Warriorz – 6:30pm, Abu Dhabi
Tuesday, 23 December – MI Emirates vs Gulf Giants – 6:30pm, Abu Dhabi
Wednesday, 24 December – Dubai Capitals vs Sharjah Warriorz – 6:30pm, Dubai
Thursday, 25 December – Rest Day
Friday, 26 December – Sharjah Warriorz vs Desert Vipers – 6:30pm, Sharjah
Saturday, 27 December – MI Emirates vs Dubai Capitals – 6:30pm, Abu Dhabi
Sunday, 28 December – Gulf Giants vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders – 6:30pm, Dubai
Monday, 29 December – Rest Day
Tuesday, 30 December – Qualifier 1 (Team 1 vs Team 2) – 6:30pm, Abu Dhabi
Wednesday, 31 December – Rest Day
Thursday, 1 January – Eliminator (Team 3 vs Team 4) – 6:30pm, Dubai
Friday, 2 January – Qualifier 2 (Loser of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Eliminator) – 6:30pm, Sharjah
Saturday, 3 January – Rest Day
Sunday, 4 January – Final (Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2) – 6:30pm, Dubai
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