Dubai Capitals Squad and Schedule ILT20 2026: Full List

Who are Dubai Capitals? One of the six ILT20 franchises, based at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. They won their first title in Season 3 (2025), beating Desert Vipers in the final.

How did they do last season? They reached the playoffs again in Season 4 under captain Dasun Shanaka, but lost the Eliminator to Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by 50 runs.

Who did they sign? Rovman Powell, Marcus Stoinis, Noor Ahmad and Mustafizur Rahman before the auction. At the auction they paid $300,000 for Faf du Plessis, the biggest price of the night at the time, and kept Dasun Shanaka with a $100,000 right-to-match card.

When is their first match? Sunday, November 22 against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Dubai at 6:30 PM UAE time (8:00 PM IST, 7:30 PM PKT), a rematch of last season's Eliminator.

The Story: Champions in 2025, Rebuilding for 2026

The Capitals won the International League T20 (ILT20) for the first time in February 2025, chasing down Desert Vipers' 189 in the final with four balls to spare. Rovman Powell hit a fifty off 30 balls, and Sikandar Raza smashed 34 off 12 to finish the job.

For readers new to the competition: the 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 ended in the Eliminator, when Abu Dhabi Knight Riders bowled the Capitals out for 108. For Season 5, the Capitals have spent big on experience, led by South African great Faf du Plessis.

The Talking Points

Faf du Plessis, the $300,000 Signing

Faf du Plessis cost $300,000, reported at the time as the most expensive buy in ILT20 history. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Liam Livingstone and Fazalhaq Farooqi later went for more on the same night. Faf brings years of franchise experience and calm at the top of the order.

Powell and Stoinis in the Middle

Rovman Powell, the hero of the 2025 final, and Australia's Marcus Stoinis give the Capitals huge hitting power in the middle and late overs. Stoinis also bowls useful seam.

Shanaka Kept With RTM

Last season's captain Dasun Shanaka was kept for $100,000 using a right-to-match (RTM) card. That means the Capitals matched the highest bid from another team to keep him.

A Strong Bowling Group

Afghanistan wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad and Bangladesh left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman lead the attack. England's Luke Wood and Matt Potts, and Ireland's Mark Adair, add pace options.

England Duty Could Cost Them Early

Phil Salt ($80,000) and Luke Wood are both in England's T20I squad for the tour of Australia, which runs from November 21 to December 2. They are likely to miss the Capitals' first few matches.

UAE and Associate Talent

UAE spinning all-rounder Aayan Khan cost $95,000, and USA spinner Hassan Khan went for $90,000. Kuwait's Anudeep Chenthamara and Saudi Arabia's Usman Najeeb are the other Associate picks.

The Full Dubai Capitals Squad

23 players. Dasun Shanaka captained the Capitals last season. The Season 5 captain had not been confirmed at the time of writing.

Auction Buys

Prices as reported by Gulf News and Yahoo Sports.

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Players to Watch

Faf du Plessis: The headline buy and an experienced opener who can anchor or attack.

Rovman Powell: Hit a 30-ball fifty in the 2025 final and remains one of the league's biggest hitters.

Marcus Stoinis: A powerful finisher who also bowls handy seam.

Noor Ahmad: Left-arm wrist-spin that takes wickets in the middle overs.

Mustafizur Rahman: Clever cutters and slower balls, hard to hit at the death.

Dasun Shanaka: Last season's captain, kept with an RTM card.

Dubai Capitals 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: eight of the Capitals' 10 games are at home in Dubai. But they finish with back-to-back games in Abu Dhabi on December 13 and 14, including the last league match of the season against ADKR. They also start and finish against the Knight Riders, the team that knocked them out last season.

Playoffs (If They Qualify)

The Eliminator and the final are both in Dubai, the Capitals' home ground.

Stat Corner

ILT20 Record

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is in the Dubai Capitals squad for ILT20 2026?

• Headline names include Faf du Plessis, Rovman Powell, Marcus Stoinis, Noor Ahmad, Mustafizur Rahman and Dasun Shanaka. The full 23-man list is above.

How much did Dubai Capitals pay for Faf du Plessis?

• $300,000, their most expensive buy.

When do Dubai Capitals play their first match?

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

Have Dubai Capitals won the ILT20?

• Yes. They won Season 3 in February 2025, beating Desert Vipers in the final.

Will Phil Salt play the whole season?

• He is likely to miss the early games because of England's T20I tour of Australia, which runs until December 2.

Related Guides and Series Coverage

📋 ILT20 2026 Schedule: Full Season 5 Fixtures, Venues and Match Times

📋 Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Squad and Schedule for ILT20 2026

📋 Desert Vipers Squad and Schedule for ILT20 2026

📋 Australia vs England 2026: ODI and T20I Schedule and Squads