Gulf Giants were the ILT20‘s first champions in 2023, but last season was one to forget: three wins from 10 and fifth place. They responded by spending more at the Season 5 auction than all but one team.
Liam Livingstone ($350,000), Rahmanullah Gurbaz ($310,000) and Alzarri Joseph ($230,000) were three of the five biggest buys of the day, and Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller were already signed. On paper the Giants now have one of the most powerful batting line-ups in the league. Six of their 10 league games are in Dubai.
This page has the full Gulf Giants 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.
Gulf Giants at a glance
| Full name | Gulf Giants |
| Short name | GG |
| Owners | Adani Group |
| Home ground | Dubai International Stadium |
| Season 5 captain | To be announced (James Vince captained in Season 4 but has moved to Sharjah Warriorz) |
| Head coach | To be confirmed |
| ILT20 titles | 1 (Season 1, 2023) |
| Season 4 result | 5th in league (3 wins), did not qualify |
| Season 5 auction spend | About $1.97 million |
| First match | vs Sharjah Warriorz, 22 Nov, Sharjah, 3:30 PM IST |
How Gulf Giants have done in the ILT20
The Giants won the very first ILT20 final on 12 February 2023, chasing 147 against Desert Vipers with seven wickets and eight balls to spare. Chris Jordan was Player of the Match. James Vince, their long-time captain, became one of only three batters to pass 1,000 ILT20 runs, with 1,055 across the first three seasons.
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Season 4 was their worst yet. They won only three games, finished fifth on net run rate ahead of Sharjah Warriorz and missed the playoffs. Azmatullah Omarzai was their leading wicket-taker with 12.
Gulf Giants squad for ILT20 2026
The Giants made four direct signings before the auction and bought 19 players on 1 October 2026.
| # | Player | Country | Role | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heinrich Klaasen | South Africa | Wicket Keeper | PRE-SIGNED |
| 2 | David Miller | South Africa | Batter | PRE-SIGNED |
| 3 | Azmatullah Omarzai | Afghanistan | All-Rounder | PRE-SIGNED |
| 4 | Blessing Muzarabani | Zimbabwe | Bowler | PRE-SIGNED |
| 5 | Liam Livingstone | England | All-Rounder | 350,000 |
| 6 | Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Afghanistan | Batter | 310,000 |
| 7 | Alzarri Joseph | West Indies | Bowler | 230,000 |
| 8 | Shamar Joseph | West Indies | Bowler | 80,000 |
| 9 | David Wiese | Namibia | All-Rounder | 70,000 |
| 10 | Ibrahim Zadran | Afghanistan | Batter | 65,000 |
| 11 | Tabraiz Shamsi | South Africa | Bowler | 40,000 |
| 12 | Curtis Campher | Ireland | All-Rounder | 22,000 |
| 13 | Dhruv Parashar | UAE | All-Rounder | 10,000 |
| 14 | Matiullah Khan | UAE | Bowler | 10,000 |
| 15 | Haider Razzaq | UAE | All-Rounder | 10,000 |
| 16 | Imran Mir | Afghanistan | Batter | 10,000 |
| 17 | Imtiaz Khan | Saudi Arabia | Bowler | 10,000 |
| 18 | Meet Bhavsar | Kuwait | All-Rounder | 10,000 |
| 19 | Shubham Ranjane | USA | All-Rounder | 10,000 |
| 20 | Wahidullah Zadran | Afghanistan | Bowler | 10,000 |
| 21 | Awais Ahmed | UAE | Bowler | 10,000 |
| 22 | Sagar Kalyan | UAE | Wicket Keeper | 10,000 |
| 23 | Alick Athanaze | West Indies | All-Rounder | 10,000 |
Teams can still add one wildcard player for up to $250,000, so this list may grow before 22 November.
Squad analysis
Batting. The top and middle order is the strongest part of the squad. Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are Afghanistan’s regular opening pair, Livingstone bats in the top four, and Klaasen and Miller are two of the best finishers in T20 cricket. Alick Athanaze adds a left-handed option.
All-rounders. Livingstone bowls both off-spin and leg-spin, and Azmatullah Omarzai, David Wiese and Curtis Campher can all bowl seam.
Bowling. Alzarri and Shamar Joseph give the Giants two genuinely fast West Indian bowlers, backed by Blessing Muzarabani, who took 16 wickets at an economy of 6.65 in Season 3. Tabraiz Shamsi is the main spinner.
Who’s gone. James Vince, their captain and record run-scorer, has joined Sharjah Warriorz. Choosing a new captain is the Giants’ first big decision.
Players to watch
- Liam Livingstone. At $350,000, the second-most expensive player in ILT20 auction history.
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Kept with a Right to Match card for $310,000, the third-highest fee of the auction.
- Heinrich Klaasen. One of the best players of spin in the world, which suits Dubai’s slow pitches.
- Alzarri Joseph. Took 16 wickets for MI Emirates in Season 3 and now leads the Giants’ pace attack.
- Azmatullah Omarzai. Their leading wicket-taker last season with 12, plus 233 runs.
Gulf Giants schedule for ILT20 2026
| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Time (GST) | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun, 22 Nov | Sharjah Warriorz | Sharjah (away) | 2:00 PM | 3:30 PM |
| 2 | Tue, 24 Nov | MI Emirates | Dubai (home) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 3 | Sat, 28 Nov | Dubai Capitals | Dubai (home) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 4 | Sun, 29 Nov | Desert Vipers | Dubai (away) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 5 | Tue, 1 Dec | Sharjah Warriorz | Sharjah (home fixture) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 6 | Thu, 3 Dec | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Dubai (home) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 7 | Sat, 5 Dec | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Abu Dhabi (away) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 8 | Mon, 7 Dec | MI Emirates | Abu Dhabi (away) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 9 | Thu, 10 Dec | Dubai Capitals | Dubai (away) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 10 | Sun, 13 Dec | Desert Vipers | Dubai (home) | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
If the Giants 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 Gulf Giants schedule
- Afternoon start. Their first match, in Sharjah on 22 November, is the season’s first afternoon game, at 3:30 PM IST. All their other matches are evening games.
- Six games in Dubai. Four home games plus away games against Desert Vipers and Dubai Capitals are at Dubai International Stadium.
- Back-to-back. They play Dubai Capitals on 28 November and Desert Vipers on 29 November, both in Dubai.
- Two-game Abu Dhabi trip. They play the Knight Riders on 5 December and MI Emirates on 7 December, both in Abu Dhabi.
- Big finish. Their last league match, against defending champions Desert Vipers on 13 December, could decide a playoff place.
Gulf Giants home matches
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Start (local) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, 24 Nov | MI Emirates | Dubai International Stadium | 6:30 PM |
| Sat, 28 Nov | Dubai Capitals | Dubai International Stadium | 6:30 PM |
| Tue, 1 Dec | Sharjah Warriorz | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | 6:30 PM |
| Thu, 3 Dec | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Dubai International Stadium | 6:30 PM |
| Sun, 13 Dec | Desert Vipers | Dubai International Stadium | 6:30 PM |
The 1 December match is listed as a Giants fixture but played in Sharjah. Fans in Dubai can also see the Giants’ away games against Desert Vipers (29 November) and Dubai Capitals (10 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.
Gulf Giants ticket booking details
DP World ILT20 tickets, including Gulf Giants 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. Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers, 13 December, 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.
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 Gulf Giants matches
In India, every Giants match is shown on Zee network TV channels and streamed on the ZEE5 app. Evening matches start at 8:00 PM IST, and their opening afternoon game starts 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 Gulf Giants in ILT20 2026? Not announced yet. James Vince led them in Season 4 but has moved to Sharjah Warriorz.
Who owns Gulf Giants? The Adani Group.
What is the Gulf Giants’ home ground? Dubai International Stadium.
When is the Gulf Giants’ first match in ILT20 2026? Against Sharjah Warriorz in Sharjah on Sunday, 22 November 2026 at 3:30 PM IST.
Have Gulf Giants won the ILT20? Yes, once. They beat Desert Vipers by seven wickets in the first final in 2023.
Who was the Giants’ most expensive buy at the 2026 auction? Liam Livingstone, at $350,000.
How do I buy Gulf Giants tickets? Through Virgin Megastore at tickets.ilt20.ae once Season 5 sales open.
