Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Squad 2026 — ILT20 Season 5 Players & Team

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Squad 2026 Overview

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ADKR) are one of the six franchises competing in DP World ILT20 Season 5. The tournament runs from 21 November to 20 December 2026 across Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah Cricket Stadium. ADKR begin their campaign against Dubai Capitals on 22 November at 6:30 PM GST in Dubai. Their first Abu Dhabi fixture follows on 26 November, when they face MI Emirates at 6:30 PM GST at Zayed Cricket Stadium.

The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Squad 2026 contains 22 players in the league’s post-auction list. Four were in place before the 1 October auction: Finn Allen, Jason Holder, Matthew Tromp and Sunil Narine. The auction then added 18 players: Alishan Sharafu, Amshi De Silva, Muhammad Rohid, Moeen Ali, Arab Gul, Usman Tariq, Gulbadin Naib, Ibrar Ahmed, Andre Fletcher, Ajay Kumar, Colin Munro, Michael Pepper, Qais Ahmad, Jakeem Pollard, Abdul Mannan Ali, Ravija Sandaruwan, Abdullah Tarakhail and Lorcan Tucker.

ADKR Squad 2026: Auction and Player Overview

The ADKR Squad 2026 combines established international names with players from the UAE and other cricket nations. Among the UAE signings, Alishan Sharafu was secured for USD 110,000, Muhammad Rohid for USD 95,000 and Ibrar Ahmed for USD 46,000. Moeen Ali also joined Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Season 5 player auction.

For easier browsing, the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders players are organised by role. The batting section features Alishan Sharafu, Colin Munro, Finn Allen and Ravija Sandaruwan. The bowling group contains Ajay Kumar, Ibrar Ahmed, Arab Gul, Jakeem Pollard, Muhammad Rohid, Qais Ahmad and Usman Tariq. The all-rounders are Jason Holder, Sunil Narine, Abdullah Tarakhail, Amshi De Silva, Gulbadin Naib, Matthew Tromp and Moeen Ali. Andre Fletcher, Lorcan Tucker, Abdul Mannan Ali and Michael Pepper are listed in the wicketkeeper section.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Fixtures in ILT20 Season 5

Each ILT20 team plays 10 league matches in a double round-robin format before the playoffs. ADKR play six of those matches at Zayed Cricket Stadium: MI Emirates on 26 and 30 November, Sharjah Warriorz on 29 November, Desert Vipers on 2 December, Gulf Giants on 5 December and Dubai Capitals on 14 December. Their four away matches are against Dubai Capitals in Dubai on 22 November, Gulf Giants in Dubai on 3 December, Sharjah Warriorz in Sharjah on 9 December and Desert Vipers in Dubai on 12 December.

The league stage contains 30 matches, followed by four playoff fixtures. Season 5 uses three venues: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Zayed Cricket Stadium and Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The final is scheduled for 20 December at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

ADKR Head Coach

Dwayne Bravo is listed as Head Coach of Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. The former West Indies all-rounder has previously led the Knight Riders coaching setup in the ILT20 and brings extensive experience from international and franchise T20 cricket.