Desert Vipers vs Gulf Giants, ILT 2023, Today Match Prediction

dv vs ggt Match Prediction & Analysis

Desert Vipers will be playing Dubai Capitals before this match. And that’s when they can topple the Giants in the standings and claim the top spot. 

Desert Vipers have won 3 of their 4 matches at this venue so far. Their only loss here came against the Gulf Giants defending 195. Gulf Giants hold the top spot in the points table with 12 points from 8 matches. 

After their successful run chase against the Vipers, Gulf Giants were bowled out for 130 runs while chasing 152 against Sharjah. The next two games were washed out and the Giants finally tasted success as they chased down a 140-run target against MI Emirates.

The recent games in Dubai have been low scoring. The bowlers have enjoyed their time out here. David Wiese and Chris Jordan would be the key players for the Giants while Gus Atkinson and Hasaranga would lead the attack for Desert Vipers.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Desert Vipers Preview

Colin Munro and co. would be out to face Dubai Capitals before they take on Gulf Giants in their last league stage game.

The outcome of that game would give more insights into the Vipers’ chances against the Giants. In their recent match against MI Emirates, the Vipers conceded 241 runs bowling first for just 3 wickets.

The batters were even more disappointing as they were bowled out for just 84 runs. The batting hasn’t been great lately. It was an exceptional performance from the bowlers that helped the Vipers win two of their last three games.

The batters couldn’t even get past the 150-run mark in both of these innings. Once again, the bowlers would be crucial as Desert Vipers look to finish their league stage on a winning note. Gus Atkinson, Hasaranga, and Luke Wood will be the ones to watch out for with the ball.

Hasaranga is also handy with the bat and adds strength in the lower order. Sherfane Rutherford and Benny Howell also add depth to the batting lineup and this should allow the openers to play more freely.

Alex Hales, Sam Billings, and Colin Munro are the key batters in the top and middle order. Munro hasn’t been in his best form in a long time. He continues being part of T20 franchises due to his experience but his strike rates and consistency are a concern.

Desert Vipers Predicted Playing XI:

Rohan Mustafa, Alex Hales, Colin Munro (c), Sam Billings (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Benny Howell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Luke Wood, Gus Atkinson, Sheldon Cottrell, Shiraz Ahmed

Desert Vipers Actual Playing XI:

Jake Lintott, Alex Hales, Sam Billings, Rohan Mustafa, Benny Howell, Sheldon Cottrell, Colin Munro, Tom Curran, Sheraz Piya, Sherfane Rutherford, Matheesha Pathirana

Gulf Giants Preview

Skipper James Vince will be looking to find his rhythm as the ILT20 nears its business end. He is a key player in the top order and his form matters a lot.

He hasn’t played any significant knock lately and if he continues to fail at the top, it would mean trouble for the Giants. Tom Banton and Rehan Ahmed are two of his opening partners in recent times. Banton and Vince added 61 runs for the first wicket in the run chase against the MI Emirates.

Chris Lynn and Gerhard Erasmus at 3 and 4 make this a terrific batting lineup. Each of these top 4 batters are known for their big-hitting abilities. Lynn has been in great touch lately including his stint in the BBL.

In the lower middle order,  there is Shimron Hetmyer, another big-hitting T20 specialist who can be a reliable match-finisher for the Giants. The last time Gulf Giants met Desert Vipers, Hettie scored 70 off 35 balls at number 5 as the Giants chased down 196 runs.

All-rounders David Wiese and Liam Dawson add depth to the batting lineup giving the Giants a big upper hand in a run chase. Chris Jordan brings plenty of experience with the ball and along with Wiese and Dominic Drakes can make a big impact.

Gulf Giants Predicted Playing XI:

James Vince (c), Chris Lynn, Tom Banton (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Aayan Afzal Khan, David Wiese, Gerhard Erasmus, Rehan Ahmed, Chris Jordan, Dominic Drakes, Sanchit Sharma

Gulf Giants Actual Playing XI:

Chris Jordan, Shimron Hetmyer, Carlos Brathwaite, David Wiese, Gerhard Erasmus, Sanchit Sharma, Chris Lynn, Dominic Drakes, James Vince, Tom Banton, Aayan Khan

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

Historically the pitch has been batting-friendly and in a night game, it becomes easier to play strokes in the second innings. This one is a day game, and there will not be any due making it difficult to bowl in the second innings. The weather is expected to be sunny with a high of 23 degrees Celsius.

Venue Details

The average 1st innings score at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium is 156 runs in domestic T20s. Ideally, a 175+ score would be a match-winning total at this venue, especially in a day game. 

Toss: To Bowl

Bowling first has been the preferred choice of teams playing in Dubai whether international or domestic T20. This season of ILT20 saw teams batting second win in 6 of the 9 matches played in Dubai. Vipers haven’t got the right setup to chase down a target and would rather depend on their bowlers to help defend a total.