28th November 2024: The DP World International League T20 Season 3 will begin with a blockbuster clash between the defending champions MI Emirates and Dubai Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium (DIS) in what would be a rematch of Season 2’s final. The first ball will be delivered at 7:30pm IST on Saturday, 11 January 2025. Cricket fans and sports enthusiasts in India and around the world can watch the LIVE action exclusively on ZEE’s 15 linear TV channels, OTT platform ZEE5 and its syndicate partners’ TV and digital networks across the world.
Fifteen tournament matches will be played at the Dubai International Stadium. Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Cricket Stadium will host 11 while the Sharjah Cricket Stadium will be the centre stage for eight Season 3 matches. The evening games will begin at 8:00 pm India prime time on weekdays and 7:30 pm IST on the weekends. On the double header weekends, the afternoon games will be played at 3.30 pm IST.
A total of 34 matches will be staged in the month-long tournament which will conclude with the final at the DIS on Sunday, 9 February. Cricket fans can watch this action-packed event on ZEE’s most widely distributed and viewed 15 linear TV channels: &Pictures, &Pictures HD, Zee Cinema HD, Zee Anmol Cinema, Zee Zest, Zee Ganga, Zee Cinemalu HD, &Flix, &Flix HD and Zee Zest HD and on one of India’s leading OTT platforms – ZEE5. The syndicate broadcast partners around the world will be announced in the coming days.
Reflecting on the schedule announcement, Ashish Sehgal, Chief Growth Officer – Digital & Broadcast Revenue, Zee Entertainment Enterprise Limited said, “ZEE is delighted to present the third edition of DP World ILT20 and promises an electrifying experience to cricket fans in India and around the world. With the presence of world’s finest and popular players, six leading sporting franchises, and iconic stadiums, we are confident this season will further solidify the league’s stature as one of the most-widely followed cricket events in the world. Our goal is to build upon the success of the previous year and make this the best season yet.”
The league is the world’s second most-watched T20 cricket league, attracting an impressive 348 million unique viewers globally, including a remarkable 221 million from India. This success was driven by ZEE Network’s comprehensive broadcasting strategy, utilizing 15 of its linear TV channels and the OTT platform ZEE5. For the upcoming season, ZEE aims to surpass 230 million viewers by broadening its reach through the inclusion of South Indian channels, offering fans an exhilarating month-long cricket carnival. With its third season on the horizon, Zee Entertainment is focused on expanding its audience through a multifaceted approach that targets India’s cricket enthusiasts, advertisers, and regional markets. The event will be broadcast in Hindi and English commentary with an aim to bolster cricket viewership in the Indian subcontinent.
DP World ILT20 CEO David White: “We are set for a bigger and better edition of the DP World International League T20 as we unveil the schedule for Season 3 with the first ball to be bowled at our iconic Dubai International Stadium on Saturday, 11 January with the defending champions MI Emirates hosted by the Dubai Capitals in what would be a rematch of Season 2’s grand finale. Our six teams have gathered a line-up of world-class T20 stars besides the best of the UAE talent who will combine to provide rich entertainment to cricket fans during the 34-match tournament.
“The DP World ILT20 provides both spectators at the stadium and fans from around the world via our global broadcast partners ZEE Network the opportunity to witness riveting cricketing action. In the coming days we would be launching Season 3 match tickets with special offers for both the diehards and fans while encouraging families to come in numbers especially during the weekends at our fan carnivals at the stadiums in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
“The weather across UAE will be ideal for cricket for both afternoon and night games, for fans and tourists that are set to visit the country in these months, the DP World ILT20 is surely an experience they cannot afford to miss.”
The six DP World ILT20 franchises have retained T20 superstars like Andre Russell (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Sunil Narine (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Alex Hales (Desert Vipers), Sherfane Rutherford (Desert Vipers), David Warner (Dubai Capitals), Rovman Powell (Dubai Capitals), Chris Jordan (Gulf Giants), Shimron Hetmyer (Gulf Giants), Akeal Hossein (MI Emirates), Nicholas Pooran (MI Emirates), Adil Rashid (Sharjah Warriorz Wildcard Pick in Season 2) and Johnson Charles (Sharjah Warriorz).
Additionally, Jason Roy (Sharjah Warriorz), Fakhar Zaman (Desert Vipers), Shai Hope (Dubai Capitals), Lockie Ferguson (Desert Vipers), Roston Chase (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Matthew Wade (Sharjah Warriorz), Ibrahim Zadran (Gulf Giants) and Romario Shepherd (MI Emirates) will make their DP World ILT20 debuts in Season 3 and dazzle the crowds. The latest squad list is available here. Additional UAE players will be selected next week.
Through the tournament, Zee Entertainment is aiming for an even larger audience in its third season, targeting 230-million viewers. The strategies being employed to increase its footprints are multifaceted, focusing on the Indian market, which includes cricket lovers, advertisers, and the addition of South Indian channels.
DP World International League T20 – Season 3 match schedule:
Saturday, 11 January – Dubai Capitals vs MI Emirates, Dubai
Sunday, 12 January – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Desert Vipers, Abu Dhabi
Sunday, 12 January – Gulf Giants vs Sharjah Warriorz, Dubai
Monday, 13 January – MI Emirates vs Dubai Capitals, Abu Dhabi
Tuesday, 14 January – Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers, Dubai
Wednesday, 15 January – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Sharjah Warriorz, Abu Dhabi
Thursday, 16 January – Desert Vipers vs MI Emirates, Dubai
Friday, 17 January – Sharjah Warriorz vs Dubai Capitals, Sharjah
Saturday, 18 January – Desert Vipers vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Dubai
Saturday, 18 January – Gulf Giants vs Dubai Capitals, Sharjah
Sunday, 19 January – Sharjah Warriorz vs MI Emirates, Sharjah
Sunday, 19 January – Gulf Giants vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Dubai
Monday, 20 January – Dubai Capitals vs Desert Vipers, Dubai
Tuesday, 21 January – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs MI Emirates, Abu Dhabi
Wednesday, 22 January – Desert Vipers vs Sharjah Warriorz, Dubai
Thursday, 23 January – Dubai Capitals vs Gulf Giants, Dubai
Friday, 24 January – MI Emirates vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Abu Dhabi
Saturday, 25 January – Sharjah Warriorz vs Desert Vipers, Sharjah
Saturday, 25 January – MI Emirates vs Gulf Giants, Abu Dhabi
Sunday, 26 January – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Dubai Capitals, Abu Dhabi
Sunday, 26 January – Sharjah Warriorz vs Gulf Giants, Sharjah
Monday, 27 January – MI Emirates vs Desert Vipers, Abu Dhabi
Tuesday, 28 January – Dubai Capitals vs Sharjah Warriorz, Dubai
Wednesday, 29 January – Desert Vipers vs Gulf Giants, Dubai
Thursday, 30 January – Sharjah Warriorz vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Sharjah
Friday, 31 January – Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates, Dubai
Saturday, 1 February – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Gulf Giants, Abu Dhabi
Sunday, 2 February – MI Emirates vs Sharjah Warriorz, Abu Dhabi
Sunday, 2 February – Dubai Capitals vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Dubai
Monday, 3 February – Desert Vipers vs Dubai Capitals, Sharjah
Wednesday, 5 February – Qualifier 1 – Seed 1 vs Seed 2, Dubai
Thursday, 6 February – Eliminator – Seed 3 vs Seed 4, Abu Dhabi
Friday, 7 February – Qualifier 2 – Loser of Q1 vs Winner of Eliminator, Sharjah
Sunday, 9 February – Final – Winner of Q1 vs Winner of Q2, Dubai
Venues:
Abu Dhabi – Zayed Cricket Stadium
Dubai – Dubai International Stadium
Sharjah – Sharjah Cricket Stadium