Dinesh Karthik has joined Sharjah Warriorz for the DP World ILT20 season.

The former India batsman-wicketkeeper was introduced as a replacement one day prior to the first player auction for the ILT20.

Dinesh Karthik, a former India batsman and wicketkeeper, has joined Sharjah Warriorz for the forthcoming ILT20 season in the United Arab Emirates. Prior to the league’s first player auction on October 1. Warriorz announced Karthik as a replacement for Sri Lankan batsman and wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis.

While serving as a batting coach and consultant for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Karthik, 40 will rejoin with the big-hitting Tim David with whom he won the 2025 Indian Premier League at Warriorz.

Karthik released a statement saying, “I am thrilled to be joining the Sharjah Warriorz team for the DP World ILT20 tournament.” I’m glad to be here, and I know they’re a young team hoping to accomplish some unique things. One of those famous venue. Where one usually desires to play is Sharjah. Being a part of the Sharjah Warriorz franchise is an absolute dream come true.

Dinesh Karthik

JP Duminy, the head coach of the Warriorz, welcomed Karthik onto the team. When it comes to T20 cricket, Dinesh Karthik is among the most seasoned players and has a really creative mind. I’m happy to have him on our side, Duminy added. He has demonstrated his batting prowess to the entire world, and his explosive style, lively demeanor, and wealth of knowledge will undoubtedly help the younger players throughout the competition. I’m excited to collaborate with him in-depth.

Karthik will be playing in franchise cricket for the fourth time outside of the IPL. He previously played for the Paarl Royals in the 2025 SA20, the Southern Superstars in the 2024 Legends League, and the Bangla Tigers in the 2024 Abu Dhabi T10. In June 2024, Karthik retired from Indian and international cricket to venture into the world franchise circuit.

Karthik has many years of T20 experience; in 412 games thus far. He has scored 7537 runs with a strike rate of 136.66 and an average of 27.01. He participated in the IPL for six clubs. Including the top-seeded Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He was also one of the IPL’s fittest players, missing just two games in 17 seasons.

In the upcoming ILT20 season, Karthik might play either with or against his old teammate from Tamil Nadu and India, R Ashwin. Ashwin, the only player with a base price in six figures, has the highest base price going into the ILT20 auction. Piyush Chawla, a former legspinner for India. is also on the shortlist for the auction, with a starting price of $40,000.

Mendis has pulled out, as has all-rounder Dasun Shanaka. Who was previously kept by the reigning champions Dubai Capitals, as the LPL 2025 clashes with the ILT20.

R. Ashwin will participate in the ILT20 and BBL.

R Ashwin no longer has to choose between the UAE and Australia. As a replacement to having to decide between the ILT20 and the Big Bash League (BBL), it looks like to be a double dose, or twin assignments. Due to difficulties with scheduling at the end of the year. The experienced spinner would have been forced to choose between the two. But it is quite likely that he will play in both.

One of the best spinners in India has signed up for the ILT20 auction and will probably play in the BBL in Australia as well. Numerous teams have made offers to him, including Tim Paine’s Adelaide Strikers, Ricky Ponting’s Hobart Hurricanes, and both the Sydney teams (Sixers and Thunder). Naturally, he will have to select one of them.

R. Ashwin 

Players who are still participating in Indian tournaments under the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are not permitted to participate in foreign leagues. But Ashwin, who declared his retirement from the IPL in August, is taking full use of this opportunity. He has finally signed up for the October 1 auction. After a lengthy period of negotiations with the ILT20 organizers. He is anticipated to formally sign with one of the four teams listed above. But he has also been in discussions with a few BBL teams.

Managing the schedule of the back-to-back events will be extremely difficult because some of the tournaments’ fixtures may conflict. While the BBL begins on December 14 and ends on January 25, the ILT20 takes place from December 2 to January 4. Currently, Ashwin will begin with the ILT20 before traveling to Australia for the BBL. Where he will have restricted availability this year.

Since all six teams have finished their direct signings, there was no direct admission into the ILT20 this year. “I signed up to participate in the auction. Ashwin confirmed his participation in the auction. Which is taking place for the first time in the UAE league’s four seasons. Saying, “Hopefully, one of the six franchises will be interested in bidding for me.”

Though there are hints that something may be decided in a few days. Ashwin remained silent over the BBL developments.

Regarding other international leagues, Ashwin is probably going to play in The Hundred in the UK or Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA. Of all, there is still time to finish those tournament procedures.

Dates of ILT20 2025 clash with BBL, SA20, and BPL confirmed

A number of well-known athletes, including Chris Jordan, Shai Hope, and Ferguson, will collide with the BBL on the same calendar. Early in the following year, the SA20, the Big Bash League (BBL), the Super Smash (New Zealand), and the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) would all face off against the third edition of the ILT20. Similar to the SA20, the UAE’s six-team franchise-based competition will take place between January 11 and February 9 of 2025.

The BBL will start on December 15 and go through January 27, 2025. While the third edition of the SA20 will take place from January 9 to February 8. In 2025, the BPL is scheduled to start on December 30 and end on February 7. In New Zealand, the Super Smash tournament will take place between December 26 and February 2.

A few foreign players were able to play the majority of the regular season before departing for the United Arab Emirates. But the BBL had experienced a big departure of overseas players for the finals previous season. When the ILT20 began on January 19.

This time, other participants will also encounter a clash dilemma. David Warner will not be available for the Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 until January 17 or for an additional 10 days. If the Thunder advance to the finals since he has chosen to play the entire season with the Sydney Thunder in the BBL as captain.

ILT20

Lockie Ferguson, a fast bowler from New Zealand, has made the opposite decision. He will begin playing for Warner’s Thunder in the BBL before departing for the ILT20 to make himself available to the Desert Vipers, who had signed him. Chris Jordan (Hurricanes/Gulf Giants), Matthew Wade (Hobart Hurricanes/Sharjah Warriorz), Shai Hope (Hurricanes/Dubai Capitals), Jake Fraser-McGurk (Melbourne Renegades/Dubai Capitals), and others will face off in a similar matchup.

Several additional players, including Nicholas Pooran (MI Emirates), Warner (Dubai Capitals), Rovman Powell (Dubai Capitals), Andre Russell (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), and Sunil Narine (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), have been kept in the ILT20. Wade, Fakhar Zaman (Desert Vipers), and Jason Roy (Sharjah Warriorz) will also be making their tournament debuts the following year.

The tournament will feature 34 matches in total, with the Dubai International Stadium hosting the final. The Dubai International Stadium will host fifteen games, the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi will host eleven, and Sharjah will host eight. On weekdays, the evening games will start at 6.30 p.m., and on weekends, at 6 p.m. The afternoon games on doubleheader weekends will start at 2:00 p.m.

ILT20 CEO David White acknowledged that the “added complications” of the Champions Trophy made January–February 2025 a busy time. He had stated that the ILT20 will consider every possibility, including rescheduling the window for October or November. But in the end, the ILT20, which was granted List A status by the ICC. Before the 2024 season, made the decision to continue holding the tournament during the same timeframe as the previous two years.

In an attempt to avoid an increasingly congested December-February window. The PCB had earlier this year announced a move to transfer the PSL to an April-May window. Which would conflict with the IPL.