Gulf Giants Squad and Schedule ILT20 2026: Full List

Who are Gulf Giants? One of the six ILT20 franchises, owned by Adani Sportsline, the group behind the IPL's Gujarat Giants. They won the very first ILT20 title in 2023.

How did they do last season? Not well. They won only 3 of 10 games in Season 4 and finished 5th, missing the playoffs.

Who did they sign? Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Azmatullah Omarzai and Blessing Muzarabani before the auction. At the auction they broke the ILT20 record twice in one night: first by keeping Rahmanullah Gurbaz for $310,000, then by buying Liam Livingstone for $350,000.

When is their first match? Sunday, November 22 against Sharjah Warriorz in Sharjah, at 2:00 PM UAE time (3:30 PM IST, 3:00 PM PKT).

The Story: From 5th Place to a Spending Spree

The Giants were the first champions of the International League T20 (ILT20). Led by James Vince, they won 7 of 8 league games in 2023 and beat Desert Vipers in the final. They also finished second in the league stage in 2024.

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.

After a poor Season 4, the Giants went big at the Season 5 auction. Head coach Simon Helmot was clear about the plan: "We've got an explosive top order and need some good death bowling."

The Talking Points

Two Auction Records in Minutes

When Abu Dhabi Knight Riders bid $310,000 for Afghanistan keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the Giants used their right-to-match (RTM) card to keep him. That set a new ILT20 auction record. Minutes later, they paid $350,000 for Liam Livingstone and broke it again. Fazalhaq Farooqi later went for even more to another team.

"It wasn't the plan to break the record twice in one night," Helmot joked.

A Batting Line-Up Full of Power

Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran at the top, then Livingstone, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller in the middle. Klaasen and Miller are two of the best finishers in world cricket, and Livingstone hits some of the longest sixes in the game.

The Death Bowling Answer

Helmot wanted better bowling at the end of an innings, and the Giants bought Alzarri Joseph for $230,000 and Shamar Joseph for $80,000. With Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani and Azmatullah Omarzai, they now have plenty of pace.

Spin and All-Round Depth

South African wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi ($40,000) leads the spin. David Wiese and Ireland's Curtis Campher add all-round options.

UAE and Associate Talent

UAE players Dhruv Parashar, Haider Razzaq, Matiullah Khan, Sagar Kalyan, Awais Ahmed and Wahidullah Zadran all joined for $10,000 each. USA's Shubham Ranjane, Kuwait's Meet Bhavsar and Saudi Arabia's Imtiaz Khan are the Associate picks.

The Full Gulf Giants Squad

23 players. The Season 5 captain had not been announced at the time of writing.

Auction Buys

Prices as reported by Gulf News and Yahoo Sports.

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Players to Watch

Liam Livingstone: The $350,000 record buy, a huge hitter who also bowls spin.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk): An explosive opener, kept with a record RTM bid.

Heinrich Klaasen: One of the most destructive middle-order batters in T20 cricket.

David Miller: "Killer Miller", a left-handed finisher who has won games all over the world.

Alzarri Joseph: Genuine pace for the new ball and the death overs.

Shamar Joseph: Raw speed that can rush any batter.

Gulf Giants 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 the Giants' 10 games are in Dubai. Their only day game is the season opener in Sharjah on November 22. They play Abu Dhabi Knight Riders twice in three days (December 3 and 5), and finish the league stage against Desert Vipers, the team they beat in the 2023 final.

Playoffs (If They Qualify)

Stat Corner

ILT20 Record

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is in the Gulf Giants squad for ILT20 2026?

• Headline names include Liam Livingstone, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Azmatullah Omarzai and Alzarri Joseph. The full 23-man list is above.

How much did Gulf Giants pay for Liam Livingstone?

• $350,000, an ILT20 auction record at the time.

When do Gulf Giants play their first match?

• Sunday, November 22, 2026, against Sharjah Warriorz in Sharjah at 2:00 PM UAE time (3:30 PM IST, 3:00 PM PKT).

Have Gulf Giants won the ILT20?

• Yes. They won the first season in 2023, beating Desert Vipers in the final.

Who is the Gulf Giants coach?

• Simon Helmot, an Australian coach who has worked in the IPL, CPL and BPL.

Related Guides and Series Coverage

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

📋 Dubai Capitals Squad and Schedule for ILT20 2026

📋 Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Squad and Schedule for ILT20 2026

📋 Desert Vipers Squad and Schedule for ILT20 2026