The opener who sets the tempo
Bairstow's best T20 cricket is played at full tilt. He takes the bowling on in the powerplay, clears the infield with ease, and his strike rate in the format's biggest leagues has always been the point: when Bairstow gets going, the opposition's plans for the first six overs fall apart. He can open or bat at three, and he can keep wicket, which gives Pooran real flexibility in the XI.
- Role: Wicketkeeper
- Team: MI Emirates
- Batting: Right-handed
- Bowling: Right-arm medium
- Born: 30 September 1989, Sheffield, England
For MI Emirates he is the second wicketkeeper in the squad alongside Pooran and Kusal Perera, which means the gloves are covered three ways and the batting order can be shuffled without weakening it. Expect him at the top, where his job is to make the first six overs count.
A World Cup winner's record
Bairstow was part of the England side that won the 2019 ODI World Cup at Lord's, and he has played Test, ODI and T20I cricket for England for more than a decade, with centuries in all three formats. He has played in the IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings, and in the BBL and The Hundred, and he comes from a Yorkshire cricketing family — his father David played for England too.
He has also rebuilt his career after serious injury, returning to international cricket with the same aggressive intent. That resilience is part of what MI Emirates are buying: a player who has been through the hardest moments in the game and still walks out to attack.
The MI Emirates around him
Bairstow is the statement signing at the top of the order: a World Cup winner with England, a destructive opener in every format, and centuries in all three.
He was part of the England side that won the 2019 ODI World Cup at Lord's, and he has played Test, ODI and T20I cricket for his country for more than a decade. With him in the side, Pooran can build the top of the order around two world-class keeper-batters, and still have Perera waiting as a third.
What’s next
Three league games to start the season for MI Emirates, then the run to the playoffs. The full list of every ILT20 fixture is on the ILT20 Schedule page.
- Match 1 — Desert Vipers vs MI Emirates: Saturday 21 November 2026, evening session, Dubai International Stadium, Dubai.
- Match 5 — Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates: Tuesday 24 November 2026, evening session, Dubai.
- Match 7 — Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs MI Emirates: Thursday 26 November 2026, evening session, Abu Dhabi.
Qualifier 1 on Tuesday 16 December, the Eliminator on Wednesday 17 December, Qualifier 2 on Friday 18 December in Sharjah, and the final on Sunday 20 December in Dubai.
Follow every ILT20 result as it happens on SialTV, with the points table updated after every match day.
Frequently asked questions
What is Jonny Bairstow's role at MI Emirates?
Wicketkeeper-batter. He can open the batting or bat at three, and he shares the keeping duties with Nicholas Pooran and Kusal Perera.
Did Jonny Bairstow win a World Cup?
Yes — he was part of England's 2019 ODI World Cup-winning side, and he has played for England in all three formats for more than a decade.
Which county does Jonny Bairstow play for?
Yorkshire, where he has played his whole domestic career.