Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Squad and Schedule ILT20 2026: Full List

Who are Abu Dhabi Knight Riders? One of the six ILT20 franchises, part of the same group as the IPL's Kolkata Knight Riders. They play their home games at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

How did they do last season? They reached the playoffs for the first time in Season 4, beat Dubai Capitals by 50 runs in the Eliminator, then lost Qualifier 2 to MI Emirates.

Who did they sign? Sunil Narine, Jason Holder, Finn Allen and Matthew Tromp before the auction. At the auction they bought Moeen Ali, Colin Munro, Gulbadin Naib and Usman Tariq, and kept UAE star Alishan Sharafu with a $110,000 right-to-match card, their biggest price.

When is their first match? Sunday, November 22 against Dubai Capitals in Dubai, at 6:30 PM UAE time (8:00 PM IST, 7:30 PM PKT).

The Story: From Bottom Three Years Running to the Playoffs

The Knight Riders had a tough start to life in the ILT20. They finished bottom of the table in each of the first three seasons, from 2023 to 2025.

For readers new to the competition: the International League T20 (ILT20) is the UAE's franchise T20 league. Six teams play each other twice, 10 games each, and the top four reach the playoffs. In T20 cricket, each team bats for up to 20 overs (an over is six legal deliveries), so a match lasts about three and a half hours.

Season 4 was the turnaround. With Jason Holder taking over the captaincy from Sunil Narine, ADKR made the playoffs for the first time. In the Eliminator, Narine took 3 for 12, Holder 3 for 18 and Michael Pepper scored 72 off 49 as they beat Dubai Capitals by 50 runs. Their run ended in Qualifier 2 against MI Emirates.

Now the target is simple: reach a first final.

The Talking Points

The Narine and Holder Core

Sunil Narine has been with the franchise since the start, and Jason Holder led the side to their best season. Both bat, both bowl, and both were match-winners in last season's Eliminator.

Moeen Ali Adds More All-Round Power

England's Moeen Ali cost $80,000 and brings left-handed batting and off-spin. With Narine, Holder and Afghanistan's Gulbadin Naib, ADKR have four experienced all-rounders.

Explosive Openers

New Zealand's Finn Allen is one of the fastest-scoring openers in the world, and his countryman Colin Munro adds more left-handed power. West Indies veteran Andre Fletcher, Ireland's Lorcan Tucker and Michael Pepper give plenty of options at the top.

Mystery Spin

Pakistan's Usman Tariq ($80,000) has an unusual bowling action that batters find hard to read, and Afghanistan's Qais Ahmad adds leg-spin.

Sharafu Kept With RTM

UAE batter Alishan Sharafu was the Knight Riders' most expensive buy at $110,000, kept using a right-to-match (RTM) card. That means ADKR matched the highest bid from another team to keep him. UAE players Muhammad Rohid ($95,000), Ibrar Ahmed and Ajay Kumar complete the local group.

The One That Got Away

ADKR bid $310,000 for Afghanistan keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz, but Gulf Giants matched it with their own RTM card and kept him.

The Full Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Squad

21 players. Jason Holder captained ADKR last season. The Season 5 captain had not been confirmed at the time of writing.

Auction Buys

Prices as reported by Gulf News. One other report lists Michael Pepper at $40,000.

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Players to Watch

Sunil Narine: The franchise's longest-serving star, dangerous with the new ball and as a pinch-hitting opener.

Jason Holder: Led ADKR to their first playoffs and took 3 for 18 in the Eliminator.

Moeen Ali: Left-handed hitting and off-spin, the headline auction buy.

Finn Allen: An explosive opener who can win a game in the powerplay.

Michael Pepper (wk): Scored 72 off 49 in last season's Eliminator win.

Alishan Sharafu: The UAE batter ADKR paid $110,000 to keep.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Fixtures (Local, IST, Pakistan and ET)

Local time is Gulf Standard Time (GST, UTC+4). IST is India Standard Time (UTC+5:30). Pakistan is on PKT (UTC+5). ET is US Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5). Every match starts on the same calendar date in all four zones.

The fixture pattern: six of ADKR's 10 games are at home in Abu Dhabi, including both 2:00 PM day games. They play five home games in 10 days from November 26 to December 5 (with one trip to Dubai in between), a big chance to build momentum. Their final league game against Dubai Capitals on December 14 is the last league match of the season, so they could go into it knowing exactly what they need.

Playoffs (If They Qualify)

If ADKR finish in the top two, Qualifier 1 would be a home game in Abu Dhabi.

Stat Corner

Last Season's Eliminator

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is in the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders squad for ILT20 2026?

• Headline names include Sunil Narine, Jason Holder, Moeen Ali, Finn Allen, Colin Munro and Gulbadin Naib. The full 21-man list is above.

Who did ADKR buy for the most money?

• UAE batter Alishan Sharafu, kept for $110,000 with a right-to-match card.

When do Abu Dhabi Knight Riders play their first match?

• Sunday, November 22, 2026, against Dubai Capitals in Dubai at 6:30 PM UAE time (8:00 PM IST, 7:30 PM PKT).

Have Abu Dhabi Knight Riders won the ILT20?

• No. Their best finish was Season 4, when they reached Qualifier 2.

Who is the ADKR captain?

• Jason Holder led the team last season. The Season 5 captain had not been confirmed at the time of writing.

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