Dubai: The DP World International League T20 (ILT20) Development Tournament returns for its third edition on Sunday, 24 August 2025, at ICC Academy Oval 1, Dubai. The 18-match competition will feature six development squads — Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Development, Desert Vipers Development, Dubai Capitals Development, Gulf Giants Development, MI Emirates Development, and Sharjah Warriorz Development — battling in a single-league, round-robin format.

Defending champions Gulf Giants Development will aim to retain their title, while the remaining teams look to unearth new cricketing talent. The Player Selection Draft for the squads will be held on 18 August at the Dubai International Stadium, with each team comprising 15 UAE players.

Tournament Director Andrew Russell described the competition as one of the most important fixtures on the Emirates Cricket Board’s domestic calendar. “This edition offers the biggest opportunity for new talent to shine, especially with many national players away on international duty. Last season, players like Farhan Ahmed and Saghir Khan used this platform to break into the main ILT20 and make a big impact,” Russell said.

The development tournament serves as a talent pipeline for DP World ILT20 Season 4, which kicks off on Tuesday, 2 December 2025 — coinciding with UAE National Day (Eid-Al-Etihad) — and concludes with the final on Sunday, 4 January 2026. Each ILT20 franchise is required to have at least four UAE players in their squad for the main event.

Following the Asia Cup, the ILT20 Player Auction will be held, where 78 players from the development tournament could be picked for the main season. The deadline for player registrations is 10 September 2025.

Tournament Schedule Highlights:

Opening Matches: 24 August – Dubai Capitals Development vs Desert Vipers Development (5pm); MI Emirates Development vs Gulf Giants Development (9pm)

Semi-Finals: 2 September

Final: 3 September

All matches will be played at the ICC Academy, Dubai, providing a prime stage for UAE’s emerging cricketers to showcase their skills in front of franchise scouts.