DP World ILT20 — All Seasons

ILT20 Winners List

Complete champions history from Season 1 in 2023 through Season 4 in 2026, with Season 5 beginning 22 November 2026.

ILT20 Winners List: All Champions from Season 1 to Season 4

ILT20 has produced a different champion in each of its four completed seasons. Gulf Giants won Season 1, MI Emirates won Season 2, Dubai Capitals won Season 3, and Desert Vipers won Season 4 by defeating MI Emirates by 46 runs in the final at Dubai International Stadium on 4 January 2026. Every season has produced a new first-time champion, which makes ILT20 the most open franchise T20 league in the world by that measure.

Desert Vipers’ Season 4 win was particularly significant because it came after two previous final defeats. They lost the Season 1 final to Gulf Giants and the Season 3 final to Dubai Capitals before finally lifting the trophy. Sam Curran was the key performer in the Season 4 final, scoring 74 not out while Naseem Shah took 3 for 18 to bowl MI Emirates out for 136.

Season 1 (2023): Gulf Giants beat Desert Vipers by 7 wickets in the final. Carlos Brathwaite took 3 for 19 and Chris Lynn scored an unbeaten 72 off 50 to chase down 147. Gulf Giants were led by James Vince and finished with 7 wins from 10 league matches

Season 2 (2024): MI Emirates beat Dubai Capitals in the final. Nicholas Pooran led MI Emirates to 208 in the final and they won by 45 runs, restricting Dubai Capitals to 163 for 7. MI Emirates topped the league stage before winning Qualifier 1 to go directly to the final

Season 3 (2025): Dubai Capitals beat Desert Vipers by 4 wickets in a tense final. Rovman Powell and Sikandar Raza were key performers throughout the season. Dubai Capitals chased with 4 balls remaining to win their first ILT20 title in what was arguably the closest final in tournament history

Season 4 (2026): Desert Vipers beat MI Emirates by 46 runs in the final at Dubai International Stadium on 4 January 2026. Sam Curran scored 74 not out and Naseem Shah took 3 for 18 as Desert Vipers posted 182 for 4 and bowled MI Emirates out for 136 in 18.3 overs

ILT20 Season by Season Final Results

Full breakdown of every ILT20 final result from Season 1 through Season 4:

Season 1 Final — February 2023, Dubai International Stadium. Gulf Giants 7 wickets. Desert Vipers 146 for 8. Carlos Brathwaite 3 for 19, Chris Lynn 72 not out off 50 balls. Gulf Giants won in 18.4 overs

Season 2 Final — February 2024, Dubai International Stadium. MI Emirates won by 45 runs. MI Emirates 208, Dubai Capitals 163 for 7. Nicholas Pooran led the batting, MI Emirates restricted Capitals by 45 runs in the title match

Season 3 Final — January 2025. Dubai Capitals beat Desert Vipers by 4 wickets. Dubai Capitals chased the target with 4 balls to spare. Desert Vipers reached their second final but fell short again in a tense finish

Season 4 Final — 4 January 2026, Dubai International Stadium. Desert Vipers 182 for 4, MI Emirates 136 all out in 18.3 overs. Sam Curran 74 not out, Naseem Shah 3 for 18, David Payne 3 for 42. Desert Vipers won by 46 runs to claim their first title

Season 5 final takes place on 20 December 2026 at Dubai International Stadium. Desert Vipers enter as defending champions.

Desert Vipers: The Most Consistent ILT20 Franchise

Desert Vipers have the most remarkable story in ILT20 history. They reached the final in Season 1 and lost to Gulf Giants. They reached the final again in Season 3 and lost to Dubai Capitals. They then topped the league stage in Season 4 and won the title by defeating MI Emirates by 46 runs. No other franchise has appeared in more finals or experienced a more dramatic journey to their first title.

Three final appearances across four seasons (Season 1, Season 3, Season 4) is the record in ILT20 history. No other franchise has been to more than one final

Alex Hales scored a record 1,156 runs for Desert Vipers across Seasons 1 to 3 before moving to Abu Dhabi Knight Riders for Season 4, making their title win without him even more impressive

Sam Curran’s all round performance in Season 4, scoring 323 runs and taking 7 wickets with a match-winning 74 not out in the final, defined the tournament’s most complete individual campaign

Four Different Champions in Four Seasons

The fact that ILT20 has produced a different champion every season is not a coincidence. The 30 match double round-robin format combined with the playoff structure means that form, momentum, and execution in the final week matter more than overall season dominance. A team can top the league stage and still lose in the final, as MI Emirates did in Season 1 and Desert Vipers did in Seasons 1 and 3.

Gulf Giants won Season 1 despite losing Qualifier 1. They came through Qualifier 2 and beat a Desert Vipers team that had topped the group stage. Playoff format rewarded resilience over dominance

MI Emirates dominated Season 2 batting records with team totals regularly exceeding 190, but their Season 1 and Season 3 exits show that batting power alone does not guarantee titles

Sharjah Warriorz and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders are the only franchises yet to win an ILT20 title across four completed seasons, making them the most motivated squads entering Season 5

FAQs

Who has won the ILT20 and in which season?

Four franchises have won ILT20 across four completed seasons. Gulf Giants won Season 1 in 2023 by 7 wickets. MI Emirates won Season 2 in 2024 by 45 runs. Dubai Capitals won Season 3 in 2025 by 4 wickets. Desert Vipers won Season 4 in 2026 by 46 runs. Every season has produced a different first-time champion.

Who won ILT20 Season 4 and how?

Desert Vipers won ILT20 Season 4 by defeating MI Emirates by 46 runs in the final at Dubai International Stadium on 4 January 2026. Sam Curran scored 74 not out to help Desert Vipers post 182 for 4. Naseem Shah took 3 for 18 and David Payne took 3 for 42 as MI Emirates were bowled out for 136 in 18.3 overs.

Which franchise has appeared in the most ILT20 finals?

Desert Vipers have appeared in the most ILT20 finals with three appearances across four seasons (Season 1, Season 3, and Season 4). They lost in Season 1 to Gulf Giants and Season 3 to Dubai Capitals before winning in Season 4. No other franchise has appeared in more than one final.

Which teams have never won the ILT20?

Sharjah Warriorz and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders are the only two franchises yet to win an ILT20 title across four completed seasons. Both teams enter Season 5 having never lifted the trophy, which makes them particularly motivated title contenders alongside defending champions Desert Vipers.

Who won the Player of the Tournament award in ILT20 Season 4?

Sam Curran won the Player of the Tournament award in ILT20 Season 4. He scored 323 runs and took 7 wickets throughout the tournament, culminating in his match-winning 74 not out in the final against MI Emirates. His all-round contribution across both batting and bowling made him the standout performer of the season.

When is the ILT20 Season 5 final?

The ILT20 Season 5 final takes place on 20 December 2026 at Dubai International Stadium. Desert Vipers enter as defending champions after their 46-run victory over MI Emirates in the Season 4 final. Season 5 begins on 22 November 2026 with 34 matches across three UAE venues.