ILT20 Season 2024: Full List of Players Retained And New Signings By Six Franchises

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After a successful inaugural season, the six participating franchises in the DP World ILT20 announced a star-studded retention list on July 10. The ILT20 Season 2, which promises to provide another enthralling season of cricket action, have also revealed the names of the latest signings.

Champions of the inaugural edition, Gulf Giants, have retained the core of their triumphant squad which was captained by England star James Vince in the opening season.

Some of the biggest T20 freelancers in world cricket such as Alex Hales (Desert Vipers), James Vince (Gulf Giants), Nicholas Pooran (MI Emirates), Andre Russell (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Kieron Pollard (MI Emirates), Wanindu Hasaranga (Desert Vipers), Chris Woakes (Sharjah Warriors), Sikandar Raza (Dubai Capitals) have been retained by their respective franchises.

UAE captain and last year's Blue Belt winner (Best UAE Player) Mohammad Waseem has also been retained by his franchise MI Emirates for Season 2, which begins in the second week of January 2024.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders have retained their ICC T20 World Cup 2012 and 2016 winner, the T20 mega star Andre Russell and last year's captain, the prolific spinner Sunil Narine - ICC T20 World Cup 2012 winner. Sabir Ali and Matiullah Khan are their UAE retentions.

Last year's finalists Desert Vipers have retained the inaugural season's top-scorer and Green Belt winner Alex Hales. Captain Colin Munro, Sri Lanka spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and Sherfane Rutherford are also part of the Desert Vipers' retention list.

Dubai Capitals have retained Rovman Powell for the next season. The hard-hitting West Indies all-rounder captained the franchise in the early stages of the inaugural edition of the competition. Powell played for Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2023 season.

England stalwart Joe Root and Sri Lanka fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera have also been retained. Zimbabwe's star performer Sikandar Raza - who played for Punjab Kings in IPL 2023 - is also on the retention list. Fast bowler Raja Akif is the UAE player retained by the Capitals.

White Belt winner (Best Bowler of the Tournament) Chris Jordan, Australia big-hitter Chris Lynn, Shimron Hetmyer and all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite (both West Indies) have been retained. UAE's high-performing youngsters Aayan Afzal Khan and Sanchit Sharma are also on the Giants' retention list.

MI Emirates retention list is led by Kieron Pollard. The West Indian T20 great captained the side to the play-offs in the inaugural season. The highest T20 wicket-taker Dwayne Bravo, Nicholas Pooran and Trent Boult have all been retained.

Waseem who set Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah ablaze with his sensational batting in the inaugural season is the UAE player on the retention list alongside fast bowler Zahoor Khan.

Sharjah Warriors have retained England bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes alongside their big-hitting batter Tom Kohler-Cadmore who scored a match-winning century (106 off 47 balls, 10 fours, six sixes) for the Sharjah Warriors against the Dubai Capitals in Dubai. Pacers Junaid Siddique and Mohammad Jawadullah are their retained UAE players.

Gulf Giants sign Afghanistan all-rounder Karim Janat, spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rehman moves to the Giants squad, Guptill to make DP World ILT20 debut, the New Zealand batter to represent Sharjah Warriors along with Maheesh Theekshana and Lewis Gregory.

Pakistan's Shadab Khan and Azam Khan join compatriot Shaheen Shah Afridi in the Desert Vipers squad, once fastest ODI century record holder Corey Anderson to play for MI Emirates alongside Indian star Ambati Rayudu.

Warner and Wood add firepower to Dubai Capitals with Rahmanullah Gurbaz also added to the squad, David Willey, and Ireland star Josh Little to appear for Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.

There was no restriction on the number of retentions for international players while the franchises could only retain a maximum of two UAE players. Meanwhile, the maximum total salary cap for Season 2 will be US $ 2.5 million with a minimum spend of US $ 1.5 million.

ILT20 Season 2024: Full list of the players retained and new signings

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders New signings: Brandon McMullen, David Willey, Jake Lintott, Josh Little, Laurie Evans, Michael Pepper, Ravi Bopara and Sam Hain.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Retentions: Ali Khan, Andre Russell, Charith Asalanka, Joe Clarke, Sabir Ali, Sunil Narine, Marchant de Lange and Matiullah Khan.

Desert Vipers New signings: Adam Hose, Azam Khan, Bas de Leede, Michael Jones, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Desert Vipers Retentions: Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Colin Munro, Dinesh Chandimal, Gus Atkinson, Luke Wood, Matheesha Pathirana, Rohan Mustafa, Sheldon Cottrell, Sherfane Rutherford, Tom Curran and Wanindu Hasaranga.

Dubai Capitals New signings: Andrew Tye, Dasun Shanaka, David Warner, Mark Wood, Max Holden, Mohammad Mohsin, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Nuwan Thusara, Roelof van der Merwe, Sadeera Samarawickrama and Sam Billings.

Dubai Capitals Retentions: Dushmantha Chameera, Joe Root, Raja Akif, Rovman Powell and Sikandar Raza.

Gulf Giants New signings: Dominic Drakes, Jordan Cox, Karim Janat, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Saurabh Netravalkar.

Gulf Giants Retentions: Aayan Afzal Khan, Carlos Brathwaite, Chris Jordan, Chris Lynn, Gerhard Erasmus, James Vince, Jamie Overton, Rehan Ahmed, Richard Gleeson, Sanchit Sharma and Shimron Hetmyer.

MI Emirates New signings: Akeal Hosein, Ambati Rayudu, Corey Anderson, Kusal Perera, Nosthush Kenjige, Odean Smith, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Waqar Salamkheil.

MI Emirates Retentions: Andre Fletcher, Daniel Mousley, Dwayne Bravo, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jordan Thompson, Kieron Pollard, McKenny Clarke, Muhammad Waseem, Nicholas Pooran, Trent Boult, Will Smeed and Zahoor Khan.

Sharjah Warriors New signings: Chris Sole, Daniel Sams, Dilshan Madhushanka, James Fuller, Johnson Charles, Kusal Mendis, Lewis Gregory, Maheesh Theekshana, Mark Watt, Martin Guptill, Sean Williams and Qais Ahmed.

Sharjah Warriors Retentions: Chris Woakes, Joe Denly, Junaid Siddique, Mark Deyal, Muhammad Jawadullah and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.