Qualifier 2, Friday, 18 December 2026 — Evening session in Sharjah
Qualifier 2 is played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday 18 December 2026, in the evening session. The loser of Qualifier 1 meets the winner of the Eliminator, and the winner takes the second place in the final. The loser’s season ends — for one of these two sides, this is the last match they will play.
The two teams are not known yet. Match 30 on Monday 14 December closes the league stage, and the points table after that match decides the seeds. Qualifier 1 is played on Wednesday 16 December in Abu Dhabi and the Eliminator on Thursday 17 December in Dubai, and the results of those two matches decide who meets here. The full scorecard will appear here after the match.
Sharjah hosts only one playoff match in Season 5, and it is this one. The International League T20 final follows on Sunday 20 December in Dubai, after a rest day on Saturday 19 December.
Scorecard
Match yet to begin. The scorecard appears here once the match starts.
How the playoffs work
Four teams qualify for the playoffs, seeded by the league table after 30 matches — and the seeds are still to be decided, because the league stage ends with Match 30 on Monday 14 December. From there, four matches decide the title.
Qualifier 1 brings Seed 1 and Seed 2 together on Wednesday 16 December in Abu Dhabi. Its winner goes straight to the final on Sunday 20 December, while its loser drops into Qualifier 2 on Friday 18 December in Sharjah. The Eliminator, on Thursday 17 December in Dubai, brings Seed 3 and Seed 4 together in a straight knockout: the loser is out, and the winner goes to Qualifier 2 to meet the Qualifier 1 loser. The winner of Qualifier 2 takes the second place in the final.
Tuesday 15 December is a rest day before the playoffs begin, and Saturday 19 December is a rest day before the final. Every playoff match is an evening-session match; exact start times are still to be announced.
The final berth, and what losing costs
The winner of Qualifier 2 goes to the final on Sunday 20 December in Dubai, where they meet the winner of Qualifier 1. The loser is eliminated, one win short of the title match. For the loser of Qualifier 1, this is the second chance the format gives the top two seeds — and the last chance it gives anyone. For the winner of the Eliminator, this is the second win in a three-win run to the title.
The shape of the match depends on who arrives. The loser of Qualifier 1 will have had a day to recover from Wednesday’s defeat and will be playing their second match of the week. The winner of the Eliminator will be playing their second match in two days, having won a knockout game on Thursday. One side arrives with rest and a defeat to put right; the other arrives with momentum and tired legs. Which of those matters more is the question this match answers.
Dubai International Stadium hosts the final on Sunday 20 December, after a rest day on Saturday 19 December. The title has changed hands every season: Gulf Giants in 2023, MI Emirates in 2024, Dubai Capitals in 2025 and Desert Vipers in 2025-26, when they beat MI Emirates by 46 runs in the final.
The road to the final
One of the two finalists will already be known by the time this match is played: the winner of Qualifier 1, who goes straight to the final on Sunday 20 December after winning on Wednesday 16 December in Abu Dhabi. The other finalist will be decided here, in Sharjah, on Friday 18 December.
There are two ways to reach this match, and they are very different. The loser of Qualifier 1 arrives with a second chance — the reward for finishing in the top two. The winner of the Eliminator arrives having survived a knockout game on Thursday 17 December in Dubai, and must now win a second knockout in two days to reach the final. If that side goes on to win the title on Sunday, it will have won three matches in four days.
Neither side is named yet, because Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator have not been played. Once their results are known, this page will name the two teams meeting in Sharjah.
No head-to-head yet — the teams are not decided
The pairing for this match cannot be written yet, because it depends on two matches that have not been played: Qualifier 1 on Wednesday 16 December and the Eliminator on Thursday 17 December. Once those results are known, this page will name the loser of Qualifier 1 and the winner of the Eliminator, and add their head-to-head.
Match information
| Ground | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah |
| Series | ILT20 |
| Season | 2026-27, Season 5 |
| Match number | Match 33 |
| Match Days | Friday, 18 December 2026 |
| Points | Winner 2, loser 0 |
Evening session — the exact start time is still to be announced. Match yet to begin — the full scorecard will appear on this page after the match.
Frequently asked questions
When is Qualifier 2 played?
Qualifier 2 is played in the evening session on Friday 18 December 2026 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah. It is the third playoff match of ILT20 Season 5, played the day after the Eliminator. The start time has not been announced yet.
Who plays in Qualifier 2?
The loser of Qualifier 1 plays the winner of the Eliminator. Neither team is known yet — Qualifier 1 is played on Wednesday 16 December and the Eliminator on Thursday 17 December, and their results decide this pairing. This page will name the two teams once those matches are played.
What does the winner of Qualifier 2 get?
A place in the final on Sunday 20 December in Dubai, against the winner of Qualifier 1. The loser is eliminated. Saturday 19 December is a rest day between Qualifier 2 and the final.
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