Season 4 · United Arab Emirates
ILT20 Season 4 news and season updates
Desert Vipers won their first ILT20 title after beating MI Emirates by 46 runs in the 4 January Final. This dated Season 4 record follows the first player auction, opening-week momentum, venue changes, the playoff race, all four knockout results and the official signature-belt awards.
Completed 2 December – 4 January
What defined ILT20 Season 4?
Desert Vipers won their first four matches, finished first with an 8–2 league record and beat second-placed MI Emirates twice in the playoffs. Their Qualifier 1 win included Andries Gous' unbeaten 120 and a 233/1 total before Curran's unbeaten 74 shaped the Final.
The season also introduced ILT20's first player auction, produced a Super Over and last-ball results, and required two Sharjah fixtures to move because of weather conditions. The timeline selects developments that changed the competition record rather than duplicating all 34 match reports.
Confirmed announcements
ILT20 Season 4 announcement and result timeline
ILT20 confirms the four Season 4 signature-belt winners
Sam Curran received the MVP and Best Batter belts, Waqar Salamkheil the Best Bowler belt and Muhammad Waseem the Best UAE Player belt for a fourth straight campaign.
Open the official record ↗Desert Vipers win their first ILT20 championship
Curran's unbeaten 74 carried the Vipers to 182/4 before MI Emirates were dismissed for 136 in 18.3 overs. The 46-run victory completed a 10–2 campaign for the champions.
Open the official record ↗MI Emirates beat Abu Dhabi and claim the second Final place
MI Emirates restricted the Knight Riders to 120/8 and reached 121/3 in 16.1 overs. The seven-wicket Qualifier 2 win set up a playoff rematch with Desert Vipers.
Open the official record ↗Abu Dhabi Knight Riders eliminate the defending champions
Michael Pepper made 72 and shared a 122-run opening stand with Phil Salt as Abu Dhabi posted 158/7. Dubai Capitals fell 50 runs short in the Eliminator.
Open the official record ↗Desert Vipers reach the Final with a record opening stand
Andries Gous struck an unbeaten 120 and added 157 with Fakhar Zaman as the Vipers made 233/1. MI Emirates replied with 188/7 and lost Qualifier 1 by 45 runs.
Open the official record ↗MI Emirates seal a playoff place with an eight-wicket win
Nicholas Pooran and Muhammad Waseem shared an unbeaten 140-run stand as MI chased Gulf Giants' 141/8 in 16.3 overs. It was MI's fourth consecutive victory.
Open the official record ↗Two Sharjah fixtures move because of weather conditions
The 19 December Sharjah–Dubai match moved to Dubai and the 21 December Gulf–Dubai fixture moved to Abu Dhabi. The competition carried ticket-draw entries forward to the next Sharjah date.
Open the official record ↗Shayan Jahangir makes 99 in Dubai's nine-run win
Jahangir's 99 against Abu Dhabi was recorded by ILT20 as the highest score by an Associate player in the competition. Dubai defended 186/4 by nine runs.
Open the official record ↗Desert Vipers defend 159 by one run on the final ball
MI Emirates needed three from the last delivery but finished on 158/9. The result gave the Vipers a fourth straight win, one day after their Super Over victory over Gulf Giants.
Open the official record ↗Desert Vipers beat the defending champions in the opener
Dubai Capitals made 150/8 before the Vipers reached 151/6 with three balls remaining. The four-wicket result opened the 34-match season at Dubai International Stadium.
Open the official record ↗Andre Fletcher tops ILT20's first player auction
MI Emirates bought Fletcher for USD 260,000 at the competition's first auction. ILT20 published the six post-auction squad records and confirmed the 2 December to 4 January season window.
Open the official record ↗Momentum and qualification
How did the ILT20 Season 4 playoff race develop?
Desert Vipers established the early lead with four consecutive victories, including a Super Over against Gulf Giants and a one-run defence against MI Emirates on successive days. They eventually finished 8–2 and took the first Qualifier 1 place.
MI Emirates recovered from winning only two of their first five matches by putting together a five-match streak. The 23 December win over Gulf confirmed their playoff place, and they finished second; Dubai Capitals and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders completed the top four.
Four matches at three grounds
How did Desert Vipers and MI Emirates reach the Final?
The Vipers made 233/1 and beat MI by 45 runs in Qualifier 1, advancing directly to Dubai. Abu Dhabi then removed Dubai Capitals in the Eliminator, but MI held the Knight Riders to 120/8 and won Qualifier 2 by seven wickets.
The title match was the fourth meeting between the finalists during Season 4. Desert Vipers won three: by one run in Abu Dhabi, 45 runs in Qualifier 1 and 46 runs in the Final; MI's league-stage win came by four wickets in Dubai.
First Vipers title
What followed the ILT20 Season 4 Final?
Curran was Player of the Match after making 74 not out from 51 balls. Naseem Shah and David Payne took three wickets each as MI were bowled out for 136, leaving the Vipers with their first title after two earlier Final defeats.
The next day's awards record confirmed Curran's MVP-and-batting double, Salamkheil as Best Bowler and Waseem as Best UAE Player. The award labels remain separate from the complete statistical tables, including the 18-wicket tie between Salamkheil and Ajay Kumar.
Completed-season record
What belongs in the ILT20 Season 4 news timeline?
This record includes developments that changed the competition: the first auction, the opener, notable season records, weather relocations, qualification, all four playoffs, the title and official awards. It does not reproduce every interview, partner announcement or routine match report.
Season 5 pre-auction signings, the 1 October 2026 auction and the 22 November to 20 December competition window belong to the next season. They do not replace Season 4 squads, results, standings or awards.
Page record
Sources and update date
Prepared by StumpScope Cricket Desk. Season information updated 17 August 2026.