Key points
- Desert Vipers are the champions after beating MI Emirates by 46 runs in the 2025-26 final on 4 January 2026.
- Four seasons have produced four different champions: Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, Dubai Capitals and Desert Vipers.
- Every final has been played at Dubai International Stadium, where the 2026 final is on Sunday 20 December.
- The champions receive $700,000 and the runners-up $300,000.
The International League T20 (ILT20) has had four champions in four seasons, and no team has won it twice. Gulf Giants won the first title in 2023, MI Emirates won in 2024, Dubai Capitals in 2025 and Desert Vipers in the 2025-26 season. The next final is on Sunday 20 December 2026.
ILT20 winners list
| Season | Winner | Runner-up | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 · 2023 |  Gulf Giants |  Desert Vipers | Gulf Giants won by 7 wickets |
| Season 2 · 2024 |  MI Emirates |  Dubai Capitals | MI Emirates won by 45 runs |
| Season 3 · 2025 | Dubai Capitals | Desert Vipers | Dubai Capitals won by 4 wickets |
| Season 4 · 2025-26 | Desert Vipers | MI Emirates | Desert Vipers won by 46 runs |
| Season 5 · 2026 | To be decided | Sunday 20 December 2026 |
The players of the match and of the series in each final:
| Season | Final | Player of the match | Player of the series |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Sun 12 Feb 2023 | Carlos Brathwaite, Gulf Giants | Chris Jordan, Gulf Giants |
| 2024 | Sat 17 Feb 2024 | Nicholas Pooran, MI Emirates | Sikandar Raza, Dubai Capitals |
| 2025 | Sun 9 Feb 2025 | Rovman Powell, Dubai Capitals | Sam Curran, Desert Vipers |
| 2025-26 | Sun 4 Jan 2026 | Sam Curran, Desert Vipers | Sam Curran, Desert Vipers |
ILT20 titles by team
Four teams have one title each, and Desert Vipers have reached the most finals. Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Sharjah Warriorz are still waiting for their first final.
| Team | Titles | Finals | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Vipers | 1 (2025-26) | 3 | 2 (2023, 2025) |
| Dubai Capitals | 1 (2025) | 2 | 1 (2024) |
| MI Emirates | 1 (2024) | 2 | 1 (2025-26) |
| Gulf Giants | 1 (2023) | 1 | 0 |
 Abu Dhabi Knight RidersAbu Dhabi KRBest: 3rd in 2025-26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
 Sharjah WarriorzBest: 3rd in 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2023: Gulf Giants win the first ILT20
Gulf Giants won the first ILT20 final on Sunday 12 February 2023 at Dubai International Stadium. James Vince’s side won the toss and chose to field, and Carlos Brathwaite took 3 for 19 as Colin Munro’s Desert Vipers made 146 for 8, with Wanindu Hasaranga scoring 55 off 27 balls. Chris Lynn’s unbeaten 72 off 50 took Gulf Giants to 149 for 3 in 18.4 overs, a seven-wicket win with eight balls left. Brathwaite was player of the match.
Gulf Giants topped the league table but lost Qualifier 1 to Desert Vipers by 19 runs. They reached the final by beating MI Emirates by four wickets in Qualifier 2, with Vince making 83 not out. Chris Jordan was player of the series and took 20 wickets, the most of the season.
2024: MI Emirates beat Dubai Capitals
MI Emirates won their first title on Saturday 17 February 2024. Openers Muhammad Waseem and Kusal Perera put on 72 in the first six overs, Andre Fletcher made 53 and captain Nicholas Pooran finished unbeaten on 57 off 27 balls, as MI Emirates made 208 for 3, the highest total of the season. Sam Billings’ Dubai Capitals replied with 163 for 7, and MI Emirates won by 45 runs. Pooran, who also made two stumpings, was player of the match.
MI Emirates topped the table and beat Gulf Giants by 45 runs in Qualifier 1. Dubai Capitals finished fourth, then beat Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by 85 runs in the Eliminator and Gulf Giants by nine wickets in Qualifier 2. Dubai Capitals’ Sikandar Raza was player of the series, with 313 runs and 13 wickets.
2025: Dubai Capitals edge Desert Vipers
Dubai Capitals beat Desert Vipers by four wickets on Sunday 9 February 2025. Sam Curran’s Vipers were sent in and made 189 for 5, with Max Holden scoring 76 off 51 balls and Curran 62 not out off 33. Rovman Powell, stumped off a no-ball on 2, went on to make 63 off 38, and Sam Billings’ Capitals reached 191 for 6 with four balls left. Powell was player of the match.
The Vipers topped the league, but the Capitals beat them in Qualifier 1, with Gulbadin Naib making 62 off 39. The Vipers came back through Qualifier 2, beating Sharjah Warriorz by seven wickets, only to lose to the Capitals again in the final. Curran was player of the series, with 387 runs and seven wickets.
2025-26: Desert Vipers win at the third attempt
After losing the 2023 and 2025 finals, Desert Vipers beat MI Emirates by 46 runs on Sunday 4 January 2026. Sam Curran, captaining the side after Lockie Ferguson was ruled out, made 74 not out off 51 balls in a total of 182 for 4. Naseem Shah took 3 for 18 and David Payne 3 for 42 as Kieron Pollard’s MI Emirates were bowled out for 136 in 18.3 overs. Curran was player of the match.
The Vipers topped the league and beat MI Emirates by 45 runs in Qualifier 1, when Andries Gous made 120 not out off 58 balls. MI Emirates came back through Qualifier 2, beating Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by seven wickets. Curran was also player of the series, with 397 runs and seven wickets. The 2025-26 final standings show where every team finished, and our guide explains how the ILT20 playoffs work.
ILT20 season awards
The season’s best performers win coloured belts: the Red Belt for the most valuable player, the Green Belt for the top run-scorer, the White Belt for the best bowler and the Blue Belt for the best UAE player.
| Season | Red Belt (most valuable player) | Green Belt (most runs) | White Belt (best bowler) | Blue Belt (best UAE player) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Chris Jordan, Gulf Giants | Alex Hales, Desert Vipers (469) | Chris Jordan, Gulf Giants (20 wickets) | Muhammad Waseem, MI Emirates |
| 2024 | Sikandar Raza, Dubai Capitals | James Vince, Gulf Giants (356) | Waqar Salamkheil, MI Emirates (17 wickets) | Muhammad Waseem, MI Emirates |
| 2025 | Sam Curran, Desert Vipers | Shai Hope, Dubai Capitals (527) | Fazalhaq Farooqi, MI Emirates (21 wickets) | Muhammad Waseem, MI Emirates |
| 2025-26 | Sam Curran, Desert Vipers | Sam Curran, Desert Vipers (397) | Waqar Salamkheil, Dubai Capitals (18 wickets) | Muhammad Waseem, MI Emirates |
In 2024 Fazalhaq Farooqi also took 17 wickets, and Salamkheil won the White Belt on economy rate. In 2025-26 Ajay Kumar of Abu Dhabi Knight Riders also took 18 wickets. Muhammad Waseem is the only player to win a belt in every season, and Sam Curran is the only player to be player of the series twice.
ILT20 prize money
In every season so far, the champions have received $700,000 and the runners-up $300,000. Each belt is worth $15,000, and in 2023 each player of the match award was worth $1,500. In 2025-26 Desert Vipers also received the Black Belt that goes to the champions. Prize money for Season 5 has not been announced yet.
ILT20 records in finals
- Highest total: 208 for 3, MI Emirates, 2024.
- Lowest total: 136 all out, MI Emirates, 2025-26.
- Biggest win: 46 runs, Desert Vipers, 2025-26. By wickets: seven wickets with eight balls left, Gulf Giants, 2023.
- Closest final: Dubai Capitals by four wickets with four balls left, 2025.
- The toss: the team winning the toss has chosen to field in all four finals. Chasing teams and teams batting first have won two each.
- League leaders: the team that topped the league table has won three of the four titles.
- Venue: every final has been played at Dubai International Stadium.
ILT20 season names explained
The league numbers its seasons. Season 4 started in December 2025 and finished in January 2026, so there are two finals in 2026: Desert Vipers won the one on 4 January, and the Season 5 final is on 20 December. Every season so far has had six teams and 34 matches.
| Season | Played | Final | Champions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 13 Jan to 12 Feb 2023 | 12 Feb 2023 | Gulf Giants |
| Season 2 | 19 Jan to 17 Feb 2024 | 17 Feb 2024 | MI Emirates |
| Season 3 | 11 Jan to 9 Feb 2025 | 9 Feb 2025 | Dubai Capitals |
| Season 4 | 2 Dec 2025 to 4 Jan 2026 | 4 Jan 2026 | Desert Vipers |
| Season 5 | 21 Nov to 20 Dec 2026 | 20 Dec 2026 | To be decided |
The ILT20 2026 final
Season 5 runs from Saturday 21 November to Sunday 20 December 2026, and the final is at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday 20 December. Desert Vipers start as defending champions, with Babar Azam among their new signings. This list will be updated with the result of the final. Follow the season on the ILT20 2026 schedule and see every team on the ILT20 squads page.
ILT20 winners questions
Who won ILT20 2025-26?
Desert Vipers. They beat MI Emirates by 46 runs in the final at Dubai International Stadium on 4 January 2026.
Which team has won the most ILT20 titles?
No team has won more than one. Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, Dubai Capitals and Desert Vipers have one title each.
Who won the first ILT20?
Gulf Giants, in 2023. They beat Desert Vipers by seven wickets in the final on 12 February 2023.
Who won ILT20 2026?
Two finals are played in 2026. Desert Vipers won the Season 4 final on 4 January 2026, and the Season 5 final is on 20 December 2026.
Who has been ILT20 player of the series most often?
Sam Curran of Desert Vipers, who won it in 2025 and 2025-26.
How much prize money do ILT20 winners get?
The champions have received $700,000 and the runners-up $300,000 in every season so far.
Where is the ILT20 final played?
At Dubai International Stadium. All four finals so far have been played there, and the 2026 final is there too.
Which teams have never won the ILT20?
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Sharjah Warriorz, who have not reached a final yet.
Sources: 2023 final scorecard, 2024 final scorecard, 2025 final scorecard, 2025-26 final scorecard, Khaleej Times on prize money, Outlook India on the 2024 final and awards, CricTracker on the 2025 awards, Gulf News on the 2025-26 final and awards.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@internationaleaguet20.com and we will correct it, noting the change at the top of the article.
