Abu Dhabi Knight Riders face off against Gulf Giants in the 19th match of the International League T20 2025-26. Scheduled for December 18, 2025, at 2:30 PM local time (6:00 PM IST), the game unfolds at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
This night clash under the lights pits two mid-table contenders eager to climb the points ladder. Weather forecasts clear skies with temperatures around 24-26°C and low humidity, ideal for uninterrupted play and minimal dew interference. The pitch at Sheikh Zayed offers balance, assisting pacers early before spinners grip later; first-innings scores hover near 167-170, with batting-first teams winning four of five recent games here.
Both squads sit outside the top spots—Gulf Giants second with three wins from six outings, while Knight Riders scrape by after snapping a four-match skid via a thrilling one-run triumph over Desert Vipers. A win catapults either deeper into playoff contention amid a tight race, where net run rates could decide fates. Momentum swings wildly: Giants stumble from back-to-back losses, but Knight Riders ride high on resilience.
Head-to-Head
Across four meetings, each side claims two victories, keeping rivalry dead even. Last five? Tied at 2-2 since no fifth clash yet, with chases succeeding twice (Giants once by 3 wickets, Knights once by 6 wickets) and batting first prevailing twice. Key talking point: Giants edged recent Dubai duels, but Knights own Abu Dhabi form.
ILT20 2025 Match Details
- Match: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Gulf Giants
- Time: 7:30 PM 2:30 PM GMT / 6:30 PM LOCAL
- Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium
- Live Broadcast: FanCode app and website, Zee Network
International T20 League Live Streaming Info:
The International League T20 (ILT20) 2025 features 6 teams: Dubai Capitals, Desert Vipers, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, and Sharjah Warriors. The tournament includes a total of 34 matches.
The competition runs from January 11, 2025, to February 9, 2025. Matches are held at three major venues in the UAE: Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah, and Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
- India: Live streaming is available on the Zee5 OTT platform; TV coverage is on multiple Zee Network channels, including Zee Cinema and Sony Six.
- Pakistan: Matches are live on the Tapmad platform and TV channels such as PTV Sports, Geo Super, and A Sports.
- Middle East and North Africa (MENA): Abu Dhabi Sports, Dubai Sports, MYCO, and the ILT20 official YouTube channel for live streaming.
- Caribbean: Rush Sports, Flow Sports.
- United Kingdom: BT Sport, Sky Sports, Zee TV, TNT Sports, BBC iPlayer (online free access).
- Australia: Fox Cricket, Channel 9, Stan Sports.
- New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ.
- United States and Canada: Willow TV, ESPNcricinfo, and BBC iPlayer.
- Europe: Samsung TV Plus, Rakuten TV.
- South Africa: SABC Sport, Showmax, DStv Now.
The format is a double round-robin where each team plays the others twice, followed by playoffs including Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Final. The playoffs start on February 5, with the final scheduled for February 9, 2025, at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
YouTube: Search for the ILT20 Official Channel and look for the live stream during match times.
Tamasha: Visit their website or app to find the live streams available for ILT20 matches.
Live Streaming Info:
Sky Cricket will be live: ADKR vs GG
Live Score Info:
Cricket lovers can watch the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Gulf Giants 19th Match live score from this website: www.espncricinfo.com
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Gulf Giants
Playing XI:
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Probable XI: Alex Hales, Philip Salt (wk), Michael Pepper, Alishan Sharafu, Liam Livingstone, Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Jason Holder (c), Sunil Narine, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Ajay Kumar.
Gulf Giants Probable XI: James Vince (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sean Dickson, Azmatullah Omarzai, Tom Moores (wk), Aayan Afzal Khan, Liam Dawson, Mark Adair, Tabraiz Shamsi, Fred Klaassen, Chris Wood.
Team Breakdown
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
Strengths lie in explosive batting depth and all-round firepower, though bowling leaks under pressure exposed in early losses. Recent form mixes highs (233/4 vs Sharjah) with lows (103 all out vs Dubai Capitals), but Jason Holder’s leadership and Sunil Narine’s spin revive hopes. Standouts: Phil Salt’s aggression, Andre Russell’s late carnage, Alishan Sharafu’s consistency.
Weaknesses: Middle-order fragility and pace attack inconsistency.
Gulf Giants
Batting firepower with James Vince’s steady hand and Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s opens drives their edge, backed by spin duo Liam Dawson-Tabraiz Shamsi. Form dips after losses to Vipers and Warriors, but wins over Sharjah and Dubai Capitals show bounce-back potential; Aayan Afzal Khan’s economical 5/42 in eight overs shines. Moeen Ali adds X-factor.
Weaknesses: Powerplay collapses and finishing wobbles.
Prediction
Gulf Giants hold a slight 55% edge on current form, superior NRR (+0.195 vs Knights’ struggles), and chasing nous at this venue. Expect 170-180 defended or chased—Giants to pip it by 5-10 runs if batting second.