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Gulf Giants in ILT20 Season 5

Gulf Giants are the inaugural ILT20 champions. They won the first title in 2023 by beating Desert Vipers by 7 wickets in Dubai, after finishing first in the league stage.

The two seasons since then have both ended in the league stage, in fifth place. Season 5 is a return to the playoffs for a side that has not reached them since the title year.

Season 5 Outlook

• Dubai-based side, captained by Jos Buttler and coached by Simon Helmot, with a 23-player Season 5 list. One ILT20 title, in 2023, and one final.
• Four names were confirmed before the auction: Azmatullah Omarzai, Blessing Muzarabani, David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen. At the auction, Liam Livingstone went for a reported USD 350,000 and Rahmanullah Gurbaz for USD 310,000 through right to match. Jos Buttler captains the side; his Season 5 route is to be announced.
• Strategic Focus: Return to the playoffs after fifth in both 2025 and 2025-26. The 2023 title, not the last two league finishes, is the standard this list is measured against.

Quick Facts

Season by Season

Key Current Players

Jos Buttler, captain. The captain and the headline name on the list. His Season 5 route is to be announced, so this page does not give him an auction price or a retention label.

Liam Livingstone and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Livingstone went at the auction for a reported USD 350,000. Gurbaz returned through right to match at USD 310,000.

David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen. Both were confirmed before the auction and form the middle-order core with Buttler.

Gulf Giants Season 5 Players

The Gulf Giants Season 5 list has 23 names, captained by Jos Buttler.

AllBattersBowlersWicketkeepersAll-roundersRole openStaff

Batters

David Miller

Batter

Ibrahim Zadran

Batter

Alick Athanaze

WIBatter

Bowlers

Alzarri Joseph

WIBowler

Shamar Joseph

WIBowler

Tabraiz Shamsi

Bowler

Blessing Muzarabani

Bowler

Wicketkeepers

Captain

Jos Buttler

Wicketkeeper

Heinrich Klaasen

Wicketkeeper

Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Wicketkeeper

All-rounders

Liam Livingstone

All-rounder

Curtis Campher

All-rounder

Azmatullah Omarzai

All-rounder

David Wiese

All-rounder

Role not verified

Matiullah Khan

Role not verified

Dhruv Parashar

Role not verified

Imran Mir

Role not verified

Shubham Ranjane

Role not verified

Meet Bhavsar

Role not verified

Haider Rarraq

Role not verified

Sagar Kalyan

Role not verified

Awais Ahmad

Role not verified

Wahidullah Zadran

Role not verified

Support staff

Simon Helmot

Head coach

Season 5 Signings

The four names confirmed before the auction were Azmatullah Omarzai, Blessing Muzarabani, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen. At the auction in Dubai on 1 October 2026, Gulf Giants then added the rest of the list.

Retained Players

Every other name on the Season 5 list came through the auction, except Jos Buttler, whose Season 5 route is to be announced.

Auction Prices, Season 5

Reported prices from the 1 October 2026 auction in Dubai. Prices are in USD and are reported figures, not confirmed contracts.

Photograph credit: Official ILT20 website

Season 5 Match Schedule

Match 2 · LeagueUpcoming

Sharjah Warriorz–

Gulf Giants–

Sharjah Cricket Stadium, SharjahSun 22 Nov, 2:00 pm GST

Match 5 · LeagueUpcoming

Gulf Giants–

MI Emirates–

Dubai International Stadium, DubaiTue 24 Nov, 6:30 pm GST

Match 10 · LeagueUpcoming

Gulf Giants–

Dubai Capitals–

Dubai International Stadium, DubaiSat 28 Nov, 6:30 pm GST

Match 12 · LeagueUpcoming

Desert Vipers–

Gulf Giants–

Dubai International Stadium, DubaiSun 29 Nov, 6:30 pm GST

Match 14 · LeagueUpcoming

Gulf Giants–

Sharjah Warriorz–

Sharjah Cricket Stadium, SharjahTue 1 Dec, 6:30 pm GST

Match 17 · LeagueUpcoming

Gulf Giants–

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders–

Dubai International Stadium, DubaiThu 3 Dec, 6:30 pm GST

Match 19 · LeagueUpcoming

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders–

Gulf Giants–

Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu DhabiSat 5 Dec, 6:30 pm GST

Match 22 · LeagueUpcoming

MI Emirates–

Gulf Giants–

Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu DhabiMon 7 Dec, 6:30 pm GST

Match 25 · LeagueUpcoming

Dubai Capitals–

Gulf Giants–

Dubai International Stadium, DubaiThu 10 Dec, 6:30 pm GST

Match 29 · LeagueUpcoming

Gulf Giants–

Desert Vipers–

Dubai International Stadium, DubaiSun 13 Dec, 6:30 pm GST

ILT20 Season 5 runs from 21 November to 20 December 2026. Gulf Giants play ten league games, from the opener against Sharjah Warriorz in Sharjah on Sunday 22 November 2026, 2:00 pm GST to the last league game against Desert Vipers in Dubai on Sunday 13 December 2026, 6:30 pm GST. The league stage ends on 14 December, and the playoffs are on 16, 17 and 18 December, with the final in Dubai on 20 December. If Gulf Giants finish in the top four, their playoff place will be decided by that league run.

Records

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