Dubai Capitals will play against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Eliminator 1 of the ILT20 2025-26 Eliminator 1 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on January 1, 2026. It is a knockout game, with the winners advancing into Qualifier 2 to take on MI Emirates and the losers out of the tournament.

Dubai Capitals missed out on a top-two finish after losing their final league match against MI Emirates, with two defeats against the same team pushing them into the Eliminator. They have looked good in patches, especially with the bat, with Jordan Cox and Rovman Powell making important contributions. But inconsistent displays in batting and bowling at crunch times have hurt their campaign.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders sealed their Eliminator spot with a crucial win over Gulf Giants in their last group game. Their batting has big names like Philip Salt, Alex Hales, and Liam Livingstone, but consistency has been an issue throughout the season. With their bowling mainly depending on Jason Holder and Ajay Kumar, ADKR will need a strong all-round effort to stay alive in this knockout match.

DC vs ADKR: Head-to-Head Record (T20s)

• Matches Played: 9
  
• Dubai Capitals Won: 8
  
• Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Won: 1
  
• No Result: 0
  

DC vs ADKR: Pitch Report

The pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium has been balanced during ILT20 2025-26. Fast bowlers get early movement, while batters can score freely once they settle in. Spinners can play a role in the middle overs. A score between 160 and 170 is usually competitive, and chasing teams often have an advantage due to dew in the second innings.

See Also: BBL 2025-26 Match 18: REN vs SIX head-to-head, pitch report & predicted playing XIs

DC vs ADKR: Predicted Playing XIs

Dubai Capitals (DC):

Aediqullah Atal, Shayan Jahangir (WK), Jordan Cox, Leus du Plooy, Rovman Powell, Mohammad Nabi (C), James Neesham, Waqar Salamkheil, Haider Ali, Mustafizur Rahman, Scott Currie

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ADKR):

Philip Salt (WK), Alex Hales, Alishan Sharafu, Michael-Kyle Pepper, Liam Livingstone, Brandon McMullen, Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Sunil Narine, Piyush Chawla, Ajay Kumar