Desert Vipers start Season 5 of the DP World ILT20 as defending champions. After losing two finals, they finally won the title last season, topping the league with eight wins from 10 and beating MI Emirates by 46 runs in the final.
This season brings a new look. Babar Azam makes his ILT20 debut alongside Pakistan teammates Naseem Shah, Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan, and Shimron Hetmyer, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Dan Lawrence join as direct signings. The Vipers open the whole tournament against MI Emirates in Dubai on 21 November, a rematch of last season’s final.
This page has the full Desert Vipers squad with auction prices, all 10 fixtures with India timings, the home-game calendar and how to book tickets. For every team’s fixtures, see the full ILT20 2026 schedule.
Desert Vipers at a glance
| Full name | Desert Vipers |
| Short name | DV |
| Owners | Lancer Capital |
| Home ground | Dubai International Stadium |
| Season 5 captain | To be announced (Sam Curran led them to the title in Season 4) |
| Head coach | To be confirmed (James Foster has coached the side) |
| ILT20 titles | 1 (Season 4, 2025-26) |
| Finals | 3 (2023, 2025, 2026) |
| Season 4 result | 1st in league (8 wins), won Qualifier 1, won final |
| Season 5 auction spend | About $1.54 million |
| First match | vs MI Emirates, 21 Nov, Dubai, 8:00 PM IST (tournament opener) |
How Desert Vipers have done in the ILT20
The Vipers have been the league’s most consistent side. They reached the first final in 2023 and lost to Gulf Giants by seven wickets. In 2025 they made 189/5 in the final but Dubai Capitals chased it down with four balls to spare.
Season 4 was their year. They won eight of 10 league games, beat MI Emirates in Qualifier 1, then beat them again in the final on 4 January 2026. Sam Curran made 74 not out in a total of 182/4, and Naseem Shah and David Payne took three wickets each as MI Emirates were bowled out for 136.
Curran was Player of the Tournament with 397 runs and seven wickets. Max Holden made 359 runs, and Khuzaima Tanveer and David Payne took 17 wickets each.
Desert Vipers squad for ILT20 2026
The Vipers made four direct signings before the auction and bought 18 players on 1 October 2026.
| # | Player | Country | Role | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shimron Hetmyer | West Indies | Batter | — |
| 2 | Mujeeb-ur-Rahman | Afghanistan | Bowler | — |
| 3 | Dan Lawrence | England | Batter | — |
| 4 | Andries Gous | USA | Wicket Keeper | — |
| 5 | David Payne | England | Bowler | 150,000 |
| 6 | Babar Azam | Pakistan | Batter | 80,000 |
| 7 | Naseem Shah | Pakistan | Bowler | 80,000 |
| 8 | Fakhar Zaman | Pakistan | Batter | 80,000 |
| 9 | Shadab Khan | Pakistan | All-Rounder | 80,000 |
| 10 | Khuzaima Bin Tanveer | UAE | Bowler | 75,000 |
| 11 | Vriitya Aravind | UAE | Wicket Keeper | 70,000 |
| 12 | Aneurin Donald | England | Batter | 40,000 |
| 13 | Abdullah Ahmadzai | Afghanistan | Bowler | 40,000 |
| 14 | Joe Clarke | England | Wicket Keeper | 40,000 |
| 15 | Nangeyalia Kharote | Afghanistan | All-Rounder | 28,000 |
| 16 | Sanjay Pahal | UAE | All-Rounder | 22,000 |
| 17 | Harry Tector | Ireland | Batter | 12,000 |
| 18 | Ishtiaq Ahmed | Saudi Arabia | Bowler | 12,000 |
| 19 | Nilansh Keswani | UAE | All-Rounder | 10,000 |
| 20 | Saleem Safi | Afghanistan | Bowler | 10,000 |
| 21 | Bilal Tahir | Kuwait | Batter | 10,000 |
| 22 | Wali Muhammad | UAE | All-Rounder | 10,000 |
Teams can still add one wildcard player for up to $250,000, so this list may grow before 21 November.
Squad analysis
Batting. Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman form a ready-made Pakistan opening pair, with Andries Gous, who hit the highest score in ILT20 history (120 not out) last season, as another top-order option. Shimron Hetmyer, Dan Lawrence, Joe Clarke and Harry Tector give the middle order power and experience.
All-rounders. Shadab Khan is the key all-rounder, with leg-spin and lower-order hitting. UAE players Vriitya Aravind and Sanjay Pahal add local depth.
Bowling. The pace attack that won the final is largely intact: Naseem Shah, David Payne and Khuzaima Tanveer. Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Shadab and Nangeyalia Kharote give them three different spin options for Dubai’s slower surfaces.
Who’s gone. Sam Curran, last season’s captain and Player of the Tournament, and Max Holden (now at Dubai Capitals) are not in the Season 5 squad. Replacing Curran’s runs, wickets and leadership is the Vipers’ biggest task.
Players to watch
- Babar Azam. His first ILT20 season. The Vipers signed him at his $80,000 base price, and he knows UAE conditions well from Pakistan’s years of home cricket there.
- Naseem Shah. Took three wickets in last season’s final and gives the attack pace with the new ball.
- David Payne. The Vipers’ most expensive buy at $150,000, after 17 wickets and three in the final last season.
- Andries Gous. Holds the ILT20 record for the highest individual score, 120 not out.
- Khuzaima Tanveer. The UAE seamer shared the Vipers’ wicket lead with 17 last season.
Desert Vipers schedule for ILT20 2026
| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Time (GST) | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sat, 21 Nov | MI Emirates | Dubai (home) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 2 | Mon, 23 Nov | Sharjah Warriorz | Sharjah (away) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 3 | Wed, 25 Nov | Dubai Capitals | Dubai (away) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 4 | Sat, 28 Nov | MI Emirates | Abu Dhabi (away) | 2:00 PM | 3:30 PM |
| 5 | Sun, 29 Nov | Gulf Giants | Dubai (home) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 6 | Wed, 2 Dec | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Abu Dhabi (away) | 2:00 PM | 3:30 PM |
| 7 | Fri, 4 Dec | Sharjah Warriorz | Sharjah (home fixture) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 8 | Sun, 6 Dec | Dubai Capitals | Dubai (home) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 9 | Sat, 12 Dec | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Dubai (home) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 10 | Sun, 13 Dec | Gulf Giants | Dubai (away) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
If the Vipers qualify, Qualifier 1 is in Abu Dhabi on 16 December, the Eliminator in Dubai on 17 December, Qualifier 2 in Sharjah on 18 December and the final in Dubai on 20 December.
What stands out in the Desert Vipers schedule
- They open the tournament. The 21 November game against MI Emirates is a rematch of last season’s final and the first match of Season 5.
- Six games in Dubai. Four home games plus away games against Dubai Capitals and Gulf Giants are all at Dubai International Stadium, where the final is also played.
- Two back-to-backs. An afternoon game in Abu Dhabi on 28 November is followed by an evening game in Dubai on 29 November. They also play on 12 and 13 December.
- Five-day break. After the 6 December game against Dubai Capitals, the Vipers don’t play again until 12 December.
- Early finish. Their last league match is on 13 December, giving them two clear days before Qualifier 1 if they finish in the top two.
- National Day match. On 2 December, UAE National Day, they play Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi in the afternoon.
Desert Vipers home matches
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Start (local) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, 21 Nov | MI Emirates | Dubai International Stadium | 6:30 PM |
| Sun, 29 Nov | Gulf Giants | Dubai International Stadium | 6:30 PM |
| Fri, 4 Dec | Sharjah Warriorz | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | 6:30 PM |
| Sun, 6 Dec | Dubai Capitals | Dubai International Stadium | 6:30 PM |
| Sat, 12 Dec | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Dubai International Stadium | 6:30 PM |
The 4 December match is listed as a Vipers fixture but played in Sharjah. Fans in Dubai can also catch the Vipers’ away games against Dubai Capitals (25 November) and Gulf Giants (13 December) at the same stadium.
Dubai International Stadium, known as the “Ring of Fire” for its roof floodlights, has hosted every ILT20 final. Evening dew often helps the chasing side.
Desert Vipers ticket booking details
DP World ILT20 tickets, including Desert Vipers games, are sold only through the league’s official ticketing partner, Virgin Megastore, at tickets.ilt20.ae and at Virgin Megastore outlets in the UAE. Season 5 tickets have not gone on sale yet. Last season they were released in mid-October, about six weeks before the first match.
How to book once sales open:
- Go to tickets.ilt20.ae, or the Tickets link on ilt20.ae.
- Choose the match, e.g. Desert Vipers vs MI Emirates, 21 November, Dubai.
- Pick a stand or hospitality category.
- Add tickets to your cart and pay online.
- Keep the e-ticket on your phone for entry.
In past seasons, general stand tickets started at AED 20, tickets for children aged 6 to 16 started at AED 10, and children under five got in free. Season 5 prices will be confirmed when sales open. The opening match on 21 November is likely to sell out first, so book early.
We’ll publish a full step-by-step ILT20 ticket booking guide with Season 5 prices for every venue as soon as tickets go on sale.
Where to watch Desert Vipers matches
In India, every Vipers match is shown on Zee network TV channels and streamed on the ZEE5 app. Evening matches start at 8:00 PM IST and afternoon matches at 3:30 PM IST. For other countries, see the where-to-watch section of our ILT20 2026 guide.
FAQ
Who is the captain of Desert Vipers in ILT20 2026? Not announced yet. Sam Curran captained them to the title in Season 4 but is not in the Season 5 squad list.
Is Babar Azam playing for Desert Vipers? Yes. The Vipers signed him for $80,000 at the 1 October auction, and Season 5 is his first ILT20 season.
Who owns Desert Vipers? Lancer Capital.
What is the Desert Vipers’ home ground? Dubai International Stadium.
When is the Desert Vipers’ first match in ILT20 2026? Against MI Emirates in Dubai on Saturday, 21 November 2026 at 8:00 PM IST. It is the opening match of the tournament.
Have Desert Vipers won the ILT20? Yes, once. They beat MI Emirates by 46 runs in the Season 4 final on 4 January 2026.
Who was the Vipers’ most expensive buy at the 2026 auction? Fast bowler David Payne, at $150,000.
How do I buy Desert Vipers tickets? Through Virgin Megastore at tickets.ilt20.ae once Season 5 sales open.
