The ICC has granted List A status to the UAE-based ILT20, a franchise-run T20 cricket league. This achievement is significant as it is the first T20 league run by an Associate nation to receive this status. The tournament will now be officially recognized as a T20 tournament, with all statistics being given official status. The chief executive of the league, David White, expressed gratitude to the ICC for the acknowledgment, and described it as a major milestone and a boost for the league. The second edition of the tournament is scheduled to take place from January 19 to February 17. Despite overlapping with other T20 leagues like the BPL, SA20, BBL, and Super Smash, the ILT20 has attracted top T20 players including David Warner, Andre Russell, and Sunil Narine, among others. The six-team league is owned by groups that also own IPL teams, with the Gulf Giants emerging as the champions in the first edition.
