DP World ILT20 Season 4 to Open on Dec. 2 as Stars and Record-Holders Return

The fourth season of the DP World International League T20 will begin on Dec. 2, bringing back a lineup of elite global talent and the region’s leading cricketers. As teams finalize their preparations, attention has turned to the standout performers and major records that have come to define the tournament over its first three editions.

English batter Alex Hales, now set to represent the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, enters the season as the league’s most prolific run-scorer. Across three seasons with the Desert Vipers, he compiled nine fifties and a century, giving him a commanding lead on the all-time charts. Gulf Giants captain James Vince remains one of the competition’s most reliable top-order players, holding the record for most half-centuries with 10. MI Emirates’ Nicholas Pooran has also built a strong reputation through consistent match-winning knocks, pairing aggression with an average of 45.90, including seven scores of 50 or more.

Among UAE players, Muhammad Waseem stands out with 871 runs in 33 innings for MI Emirates. His contributions extend beyond batting: he leads the league in catches with 20 and sits third in sixes struck with 55, behind Hales and Pooran.

In the bowling department, Afghanistan pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi leads the all-time wicket tally. His 50 wickets in 29 matches made him the first bowler to cross the milestone. Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has excelled for the Desert Vipers, maintaining an economy rate of 6.38 across 26 matches. Gulf Giants seamer Chris Jordan follows closely as a dependable option in pressure situations, collecting 35 wickets in 24 appearances.

Big individual batting performances have also shaped the league’s history. Hales’ 110 in Season 1 remains one of the standout knocks, joined by Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s unbeaten 106 for the Sharjah Warriors. MI Emirates’ Tom Banton produced two centuries in Season 3 — 105 and 102 not out — placing him firmly among the most impactful batters in recent seasons.

Farooqi also holds the best bowling figures in the competition with his 5 for 16 against Dubai Capitals in Season 3, a spell widely regarded as one of the finest in the league. David Wiese’s 5 for 20 for the Gulf Giants and Naveen-ul-Haq’s 5 for 38, the first five-wicket haul in league history, remain memorable highlights.

MI Emirates dominate the list of highest team totals, led by their 241 for 3 against the Desert Vipers in Season 1 — a total that set up the tournament’s biggest winning margin of 157 runs. They added another top score with 228 for 2 in Season 3, again against the Vipers. Dubai Capitals’ 222 for 3 completes the top three highest totals.

The league’s biggest partnership came last season, when Andre Fletcher and Banton combined for 198 runs for MI Emirates. Munro and Hales’ 164-run stand in Season 1 for the Vipers and a 157-run unbeaten stand between Kusal Perera and Banton last season highlight the high-scoring nature of the competition.

With records established and new milestones awaiting, Season 4 is set to build on a rapidly growing legacy as fans prepare for another action-packed month of T20 cricket.