International League T20 2023: Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers – Qualifier 1 Preview and Updates

Cricket

The Gulf Giants have had an excellent tournament, and they will look to continue their winning ways when they face the Desert Vipers in the first qualifier of the International League T20, 2023. The Giants will be confident coming into this game after defeating the Sharjah Warriors. The Vipers were defeated by the Giants in their previous game, and they will be looking for a better performance in this one.

The Gulf Giants were the best team in the league and only lost once. During the league stage, the Giants had won both league games against the Vipers. The Vipers will not be taken lightly. They finished second in the points table and have some talented players on their roster. Both teams will be under pressure in this game, and it will be a close contest with high stakes.

The Qualifier 1 between Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers will take place on February 8th, 2023 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai.

Match Details to Note

Match: Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers, Qualifier 1, International League T20 2023

Date: February 08, 2023 (Wednesday)

Time: 7:30 PM IST

Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers

Gulf Giants (Match Odds – 1.85):

Preview:

James Vince’s team has had a fantastic season so far. They only lost once and advanced to the playoffs with a 7-wicket victory over the Sharjah Warriors. Their batsmen and bowlers have contributed to the cause, and key players have performed admirably for the team. Vince hopes to capitalise on this momentum and advance to the championship game by winning this game.

The star-studded opening pair of Tom Banton and Vince have performed well in the tournament, and the team would like to see them get off to a strong start here. Colin de Grandhomme appears to be in good form and will look to make inroads into the middle order alongside Gerhard Erasmus and Aayan Afzal Khan. The lower middle order is bolstered by David Weise, Carlos Brathwaite, and Dominic Drakes.

Because their opponents have a strong batting lineup, Dominic Drakes and Sanchit Sharma must strike early in this game. David Wiese, Qais Ahmed, and Brathwaite bowled well in the previous game and will look to repeat their performance here. Aayan Afzal Khan, Erasmus, and Tom Helm would also benefit from tight spells.

Full Squad:

Shimron Hetmyer, Chris Jordan, Chris Lynn, James Vince (c), Tom Banton, Dominic Drakes, David Wiese, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Qais Ahmad, Richard Gleeson, Ollie Pope, Rehan Ahmed, Aayan Afzal Khan, Sanchit Sharma, Chundangapoyil Rizwan, Ashwanth Chidambaram, Gerhard Erasmus, Tom Helm, Carlos Brathwaite, Colin de Grandhomme

Possible Playing XI:

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

Desert Vipers (Match Odds – 1.95):

Preview:

Colin Munro’s team will face a significant challenge in this game. They’ve lost twice to the Giants, including a 25-run defeat in their previous game. The Giants have dominated opponents, and defeating them in this game will require steely nerves. Munro coaches a talented team, and he expects the best from his players.

Alex Hales has been in superb form, and the team will rely on him and his opening partner Rohan Mustafa to get things going. The team’s middle order is strong, with Munro, Sam Billings, and Sherfane Rutherford following. With the bat, Tom Curran, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Benny Howell add to the side’s firepower.

To put Gulf Giants on the back foot, Sheldon Cottrell and Mustafa must strike early. Hasaranga must participate in this game, and he must enjoy the conditions and make the best of them. The team will also be looking for strong spells from Benny Howell, Shiraz, and Matheesha Pathirana.

Full Squad:

Wanindu Hasaranga, Sam Billings, Alex Hales, Colin Munro (c), Tom Curran, Ruben Trumpelmann, Sherfane Rutherford, Benny Howell, Sheldon Cottrell, Rohan Mustafa, Shiraz Ahmed, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly, Tymal Mills, Matheesha Pathirana, Dinesh Chandimal, Adam Lyth, Mark Watt, Gus Atkinson, Jake Lintott, Luke Wood

Possible Playing XI:

Rohan Mustafa, Alex Hales, Colin Munro (c), Sam Billings (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Benny Howell, Tom Curran, Jake Lintott, Sheldon Cottrell, Matheesha Pathirana, Shiraz Ahmed

Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers Toss Prediction

At this venue, the toss has been decisive, and most teams have preferred to chase. We’ve seen big scores easily chased here because batting conditions are best in the second innings. The team that wins the toss here will undoubtedly choose to bowl first.

Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers Pitch Report

The outfield at Dubai International Cricket Stadium is large, but the wicket is flat, allowing batsmen to score a lot of runs. At this location, we’ve seen big scores and chases. Fast bowlers struggle in these conditions and must rely heavily on their variations to succeed. Spinners have thrived in these conditions, taking numerous wickets.

On February 8, it will be a warm evening in Dubai. As we’ve seen in recent games, the surface has been challenging. Bowlers have benefited greatly from the surface, while batsmen have struggled. The team batting first hopes to score 170 runs, which can be successfully defended with good bowling.

Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers Prediction

The Desert Vipers have been the tournament’s second-best team. They performed well against all of the teams but were unable to overcome the challenge posed by the Gulf Giants. They must win the mental battle before the physical one. The Giants have lived up to their name, with key players in top form. We anticipate a close game, but the Giants will start as favourites. Check out the odds at Cricbaba!

Gulf Giants is the favourite to beat Desert Vipers at the odds of 1.85.