Dubai, July 7 (IANS) For the fourth consecutive season, some of the biggest T20 superstars from around the world will feature in the International League T20, the franchise-based T20 league which will start on December 2.

England’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 winners Alex Hales, Chris Woakes, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Phil Salt, and Sam Curran (Season 3 Red Belt Winner – Most Valuable Player) will once again enthral the fans with their talent and skill in the Gulf region’s biggest T20 tournament.

Besides the star-studded England line-up of players at the ILT20 Season 4, West Indies mega stars Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Sherfane Rutherford, and Shai Hope (Season 3 Green Belt Winner – Best Batter of the Tournament) will also be in action for their respective franchises.

Zimbabwean all-rounder Sikandar Raza and Afghanistan’s premier new-ball bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi (Season 3 White Belt Winner – Best Bowler of the Tournament) are also set to dazzle in the month-long cricketing extravaganza. Australia’s big-hitting batter Tim David and New Zealand’s fast bowling duo Lockie Ferguson and Tim Southee have also declared their availability for Season 4.

The teams have now completed the halfway stage in the squads’ selection process for Season 4 (eight players each). The first phase for Season 4 squad selection included the retention window for players from Season 3 and the new signings window, which finished on June 16 and 30, respectively.

In the second phase of the Season 4 squad selection process, the teams will complete their respective squads at the ILT20 Season 4 Player Auction – date and details to be announced in the next few days.

Defending champions Dubai Capitals have added more depth to their bowling stocks by including Season 2 White Belt Winner – Afghanistan left-arm-wrist spinner Waqar Salamkheil as a new signing (previous team – MI Emirates) alongside left-arm pacers Luke Wood (previous team – Desert Vipers) and Muhammad Jawadullah (previous team – Sharjah Warriorz).

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders have added real firepower to their batting by adding three explosive T20 batters, Alex Hales (previous team – Desert Vipers), Liam Livingstone (previous team – Sharjah Warriorz), and Sherfane Rutherford (previous team – Desert Vipers).

The Desert Vipers have included former ADKR opener Andries Gous as their new signing; the Season 1 and Season 3 finalists have retained the core of their Season 3 squad. Dan Lawrence, David Payne, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Lockie Ferguson, Max Holden, Sam Curran, and Wanindu Hasaranga will be rejoining the Vipers for Season 4.

Season 1 winners Gulf Giants, have signed Afghanistan’s globally recognised all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai, who will be making his DP World ILT20 debut this season while donning the Giants kit as one of their new signings.

England’s Moeen Ali (previous team Sharjah Warriorz) returns to the ILT20 Season 4, the T20 great will be playing for the Giants as a new signing. Dashing Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz is the other new Giants’ Season 4 signing. Gurbaz’s earlier DP World ILT20 stints were with Sharjah Warriorz (Season 1), Dubai Capitals (Season 2), and Desert Vipers (Season 3).

Season 2 winners MI Emirates have added all-round strength to their squad by including the all-format all-rounder – Chris Woakes (previous team Sharjah Warriorz) as a new signing. Sri Lanka’s upcoming all-rounder Kamindu Mendis is the other MI Emirates new signing for Season 4 – Mendis will be making his ILT20 debut.

Sharjah Warriorz have added Sikandar Raza (previous team Dubai Capitals) – the globetrotting Zimbabwe all-rounder was the Season 2 Red Belt Winner – Most Valuable Player. Sri Lanka’s star white-ball spinner Maheesh Theekshana returns to the side as a new signing. He had appeared in eight games for the Warriorz in Season 2 of the ILT2o.

Warriorz have also bolstered their batting prowess for Season 4 with the inclusion of Australia’s big-hitting batter Tim David as a new signing. David played for MI Emirates in Season 1 and the Gulf Giants in Season 2. USA left-arm fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar has also joined the Warriorz.

The International League T20 Season 4 will begin on December 2 with a blockbuster opening. The six-team, 34-match tournament will conclude with the final on January 4, 2026.

ILT20 Season 4 – players rejoining their Season 3 teams:

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: Alishan Sharafu, Andre Russell, Charith Asalanka, Phil Salt, and Sunil Narine.

Desert Vipers: Dan Lawrence, David Payne, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Lockie Ferguson, Max Holden, Sam Curran, and Wanindu Hasaranga.

Dubai Capitals: Dasun Shanaka, Dushmantha Chameera, Gulbadin Naib, Rovmann Powell, and Shai Hope.

Gulf Giants: Aayan Afzal Khan, Blessing Muzarabani, Gerhard Erasmus, James Vince, and Mark Adair.

MI Emirates: AM Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kusal Perera, Romario Shepherd, Tom Banton, and Muhammad Waseem.

Sharjah Warriorz: Johnson Charles, Kusal Mendis, Tim Southee, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.

ILT20 Season 4 – new signings:

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: Alex Hales, Liam Livingstone, and Sherfane Rutherford.

Desert Vipers: Andries Gous.

Dubai Capitals: Luke Wood, Waqar Salamkheil, and Muhammad Jawadullah.

Gulf Giants: Azmatullah Omarzai, Moeen Ali, Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

MI Emirates: Chris Woakes and Kamindu Mendis.

Sharjah Warriorz: Maheesh Theekshana, Sikandar Raza, Saurabh Netravalkar, and Tim David.

–IANS

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