UAE T20 League named ILT20, to be held in January-February 2023

The six team league which will be promoted and operated by the Emirates Cricket Board, will be called the International League T20 (ILT20), the board has announced. 

The franchise style competition will be played over a 34-match schedule in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah from January 6 2023. 

The ILT20 can possibly clash with the league which Cricket South Africa is planning to launch early next year and in that context, the CSA has already requested Cricket Australia (CA) to delay three ODIs between the nations on January 12, 14 and 17. The 2022-23 Australian T20 League, the schedule of which is yet to be announced, will probably overlap too, and the Pakistan T20 League will commence two days after the conclusion of ILT20. 

The six franchises in ILT20 are owned by Shah Rukh Khan of the Kolkata Group, Mukesh Ambani of RIL, Gautam Adani of the Adani Group, the Glazer family of Manchester United, Kiran Kumar Granthi of Delhi and Rajesh Sharma of Capri Global. 

"Such illustrious, experienced names and entities as partners bodes well for the UAE T20 League. Through the commitment of these partners they have demonstrated confidence in the Emirates Cricket Board as we take the game into the future," said Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan.

"As we begin this long journey I am confident that together we will achieve new heights and in the process provide entertainment and excitement to the millions of fans around the globe who are waiting for the first ball of the UAE T20 League to be bowled."

The three Ind T20 League franchises- Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi and Delhi will have the first right to sign four players i.e. they can sign up to four players each from their existing Ind T20 League rosters. 

All six teams will be allowed a player fee of USD 2 million, the purse being the second best among the franchise based leagues after the Ind T20 League. 

Essel Group owned Zee Network earlier this year bought the 10-year media rights for the ILT20 for an astonishing USD 120 million.