The second edition of the International League T20 is set to take place from January 29 to February 18. next year. Gulf Giants had won the inaugural edition and this time around, including them, five other teams - Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Dubai Capitals, MI Emirates, Sharjah Warriors and Desert Vipers - will go for glory with 34 T20 matches set to be played in the one-month window.
Some of the top players like David Warner, Mark Wood, Shadab Khan and Ambati Rayudu among others signed up for different teams recently. But with a lot of cricket set to take place in January-February 2024, a few top cricketers are unlikely to be available for the major part of the tournament. While Warner and Wood will play for the Dubai Capitals, Shadab Khan has been picked by Desert Vipers who have also signed Shaheen Afridi.
Ambati Rayudu, meanwhile, is turning out to be a top pick in the other T20 leagues after retiring post IPL 2023. He will turn up for the MI Emirates in the next season. The ILT20 2024 schedule will directly clash with the five-match Test series between India and England that will start on January 25 in Hyderabad. Moreover, even Warner will have to fulfil his BBL commitments with Sydney Thunder with the T20 league set to conclude on January 24.
Moreover, the ILT20, like it did in 2023, will run concurrently with the second edition of SA20 as well and will likely lose out on a few more top players. SA20, next year, is likely to be played from January 10 to February 10. The dates for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) are not announced yet and ILT20 is expected to clash with these two T20 leagues as well.
The tournament cannot be extended till March either with Indian Premier League (IPL) is likely to commence from the middle of March month this time around as the T20 World Cup is set to be played from June 4.
