The Gulf Giants have appointed Australian Simon Helmot as their new head coach for this year’s ILT20. He takes over from former England player Jonathan Trott, who held the position for one season.
Helmot recently stepped down as head coach of the Melbourne Renegades Women’s team to pursue new opportunities. His next role with the ILT20 coincides with the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) as the tournament has been scheduled for November and December.
“My talks with Mr. Pranav Adani from the Gulf Giants showed our shared commitment to building strong sports ecosystems, developing talent, and forming competitive teams,” he stated.
Helmot has a solid coaching background, having won titles in both the Caribbean Premier League and WBBL. He is currently in India assisting Daniel Vettori, head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The Gulf Giants were the first champions of the ILT20 in 2023 under Andy Flower. Trott took over last season but finished fifth in the standings. He has now stepped down from the role.
The fifth edition of the ILT20 will take place from November 22 to December 20, designed to avoid conflicts with other league tournaments like Australia’s Big Bash League and South Africa’s SA20. A player auction is anticipated in early October.
The Desert Vipers are the reigning ILT20 champions. They won the last tournament in the December 2025-January 2026 period, defeating Kieron Pollard’s MI Emirates by 46 runs in the final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Sam Curran led the Vipers and earned both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards.