Third Edition of DP World ILT20 Development Tournament Set to Begin on 24 August

Dubai: The third edition of the DP World International League T20 Development Tournament will commence on Sunday, 24 August at ICC Academy Oval 1, Dubai. The 18-match event will feature six teams – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Development, Desert Vipers Development, Dubai Capitals Development, Gulf Giants Development, MI Emirates Development, and Sharjah Warriorz Development – competing in a single-league, round-robin format.

Defending champions Gulf Giants Development will be joined by the other five squads, each comprising 15 UAE players. Team selection will take place through the Player Selection Draft on 18 August at Dubai International Stadium.

The tournament provides aspiring UAE cricketers a platform to impress DP World ILT20 franchises ahead of Season 4, which will run from 2 December 2025 to 4 January 2026. Each franchise must include at least four UAE players in their squad.

Tournament Director Andrew Russell highlighted success stories from previous editions, including Farhan Ahmed and Saghir Khan, who earned opportunities in the main event after excelling in the development tournament.

With UAE national players engaged in the Sharjah Tri-Series (29 August–7 September) and the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, this year’s edition presents a major opportunity for emerging talent.

Following the Asia Cup, the DP World ILT20 Player Auction for Season 4 will be held, where 78 players will be added across the six franchises. Registration for the auction closes on 10 September.

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The opening matches on 24 August will see Dubai Capitals Development face Desert Vipers Development at 5pm, followed by MI Emirates Development against Gulf Giants Development at 9pm. The final will take place on 3 September Season 4 of the DP World ILT20 will open on UAE National Day, 2 December 2025, and conclude with the final on 4 January 2026.