- Photo Caption 1: From Left to Right: Mubashshir Usmani, Director, DP World ILT20, ICC Board Director & ECB General Secretary; Dr Mohamed Abu Hamra, COO, Digital Technology, DP World GCC; Eisa Sharif, Director, Sports Events, Dubai Sports Council; Venu Nair, President – Middle East & South Asia, Sport Five; Mukund Galgali, Deputy CEO & CFO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises; and Tushar Malhotra, Global Director Sales & Marketing, Bisleri
- Photo Caption 2: From Left to Right: Host Simon Doull, Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar pose at the DP World ILT20 Season 5 Launch Gala Panel Discussion
- For images from the event, click here
- Teams to complete Season 5 squad selection process through the DP World ILT20 Season 5 Player Auction – Thursday, 1 October 2026
- Season 5 of the six-team, 34-match DP World ILT20 will be played in November-December 2026
- The DP World ILT20 Season 5 Player Auction registration portal is open at: https://registration.ilt20.ae/ Last date of submission – Saturday, 12 September 2026
Photo by Vipin Pawar / CREIMAS
Dubai, 11 September 2026: DP World International League Season 5 was officially launched at a dazzling event held in Dubai last evening. Cricketing icons Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar were among the star attractions at the event.
During the event, Chairman ILT20 Khalid Al Zarooni and ILT20 League Commissioner/ICC Director Associates/General Secretary ECB Mubashshir Usmani spoke in depth about the DP World ILT20’s massive rise in recent years, especially the tournament’s contribution to the growth and expansion of cricket in the Gulf region.
Addressing the gathering, DP World ILT20 Chairman Khalid Al Zarooni said:
“What began as a dream has grown into one of the world’s leading cricket leagues, bringing together top players and major franchises, while helping grow cricket in the UAE, the region and beyond.
“I would like to thank our stakeholders, franchise owners, commercial and strategic partners for their continued support, with a special acknowledgement to DP World and Zee Network, as well as our strategic cricket partners Kuwait Cricket, the Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation, the Afghanistan Cricket Board and Cricket Ireland. We are also delighted to welcome SPORTFIVE as a new commercial partner and look forward to another successful season.”
During the event, a special panel discussion hosted by former New Zealand international Simon Doull brought together senior representatives from cricket, sport, business and government to discuss the evolving landscape and future of the game both in the region and globally.
The panel featured Mubashshir Usmani, ILT20 League Commissioner, ICC Board Director and ECB General Secretary; Dr. Mohamed Abu Hamra, COO – Digital Technology, DP World GCC; Mr. Eisa Sharif, Director Sports Events, Dubai Sports Council; Mr. Mukund Galgali, Deputy CEO & CFO, ZEE Entertainment Enterprises; Mr. Venu Nair, President – Middle East & South Asia, SportFive; and Mr. Tushar Malhotra, Global Director Sales & Marketing, Bisleri.
Doull also hosted a panel discussion with Lee and Shoaib during the glittering launch event. The fast bowling legends spoke about the growing impact of the DP World ILT20 on UAE and regional cricket. The duo also reminisced about their playing days and shared memories in an era where they dominated the game through their blistering pace bowling.
The evening also featured a spell-binding performance by celebrity mentalist Karan Singh Magic. The league also revealed the new brand identity for Season 5.
Season 5 of the DP World ILT20 will be played in November-December this year at the UAE’s three iconic cricket venues – Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, Dubai International Stadium and Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Desert Vipers will begin the tournament as defending champions. Past winners include Gulf Giants – Season 1, MI Emirates – Season 2 and Dubai Capitals – Season 3.
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