ILT20 2025 to start and end in Dubai amid clash with SA20, BBL and BPL

The third season of the UAE's International League T20 (ILT20) is scheduled to take place from January 11 to February 9, 2025. However, this period overlaps with several other major T20 leagues, including the SAT20, Big Bash League (BBL), Super Smash, and the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), leading to potential challenges in player availability.

Key Overlapping Schedules:

• BPL (Bangladesh Premier League): December 30, 2024 to February 7, 2025.
• SAT20: January 9 to February 8, 2025.
• BBL: December 15, 2024 to January 27, 2025.
• Super Smash (New Zealand): December 26, 2024 to February 2, 2025.

Potential Player Conflicts:

Due to these overlapping dates, several players will face scheduling conflicts, as many are set to play in multiple leagues. For instance:

• David Warner, the captain of Sydney Thunder in the BBL, has committed to the entire BBL season. This means he will be unavailable for Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 until January 17, 2025, or longer if Thunder reaches the finals.
• Lockie Ferguson will initially play for Sydney Thunder in the BBL but then switch to the Desert Vipers for the ILT20.

Other players caught in this scheduling overlap include:

• Jack Fraser-McGurk (Melbourne Renegades/Dubai Capitals)
• Matthew Wade (Hobart Hurricanes/Sharjah Warriors)
• Chris Jordan (Hurricanes/Gulf Giants)
• Shai Hope (Hurricanes/Dubai Capitals)

Star Players in ILT20:

ILT20 has secured some big names for the season, including:

• Andre Russell, Sunil Narine (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders)
• David Warner, Rovman Powell, Shimron Hetmyer (Dubai Capitals)
• Shamarh Brooks, Nicholas Pooran (MI Emirates)
• Jason Roy, Fakhar Zaman (Sharjah Warriors), and Chris Jordan (Gulf Giants)

Matches & Venues:

A total of 34 matches will be held across three venues:

• Dubai International Stadium: 15 matches (including the final)
• Zayed Cricket Stadium (Abu Dhabi): 11 matches
• Sharjah Cricket Stadium: 8 matches

With several high-profile leagues running concurrently, player availability will be crucial, and managing this overlap will be a significant challenge for the teams and tournament organizers. The 2025 ILT20 promises to be an exciting but complex season.