Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Desert Vipers , ILT20, Today Match Prediction 27 January 2024

ADKR vs DV Match Prediction & Analysis

Knight Riders will be up against the Desert Vipers for the second time this season. They kicked off their campaign with a win over the Vipers in Dubai and now the two sides will lock horns at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

After a successful start to the season, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders have lost two games in a row. In their last game in Abu Dhabi, Knight Riders were bowled out for 95 runs batting first against MI Emirates.

Desert Vipers will be playing their first T20 in Abu Dhabi this season. They bounced back with a win in Dubai in their second game chasing down 162 runs with 6 wickets in hand.

For the Vipers, it is the bowling attack that will play a key role in their win. Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Amir, and Wanindu Hasaranga are the key players in this side. 

Whereas, in the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, it is the big-hitting finishers like Andre Russell, Laurie Evans, and Sam Hain who will play a crucial role.

RECENT PERFORMANCE

ADKR

L L W

DC

185/5 in 16.1 11.44

ILT20

Dubai Capitals beat Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by 5 wickets 25 Jan 2024

ADKR

183/4 in 20.0 9.15

ADKR

95/10 in 14.1 6.7

ILT20

MI Emirates beat Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by 9 wickets 23 Jan 2024

MIE

96/1 in 8.1 11.75

DV

164/8 in 20.0 8.2

ILT20

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders beat Desert Vipers by 6 wickets 21 Jan 2024

ADKR

166/4 in 17.4 9.39

DV

W L

GG

160/6 in 20.0 8

ILT20

Desert Vipers beat Gulf Giants by 6 wickets 24 Jan 2024

DV

162/4 in 18.4 8.68

DV

164/8 in 20.0 8.2

ILT20

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders beat Desert Vipers by 6 wickets 21 Jan 2024

ADKR

166/4 in 17.4 9.39

HEAD TO HEAD

TEAMS PREVIEW

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Preview

Sunil Narine will be keen on getting his team back to winning ways after back-to-back losses. Their last outing here was a disaster as they failed to even reach the 100-run mark. 

Opening batsman Andries Gous who scored 95 off 50 balls against the Vipers in their opening game hasn’t scored in double digits since then. The top-order has struggled in the last two games.

And it has all Sam Hain, Laurie Evans, and Andre Russell to lead the fightback. The batting lineup is quite deep with all-rounders like Imad Wasim, David Willey, and skipper Narine himself coming in at number 9.

There is a great variety in the bowling attack as well with the captain u to 7 bowlers in the last match. David Willey, Joshua Little, and Ali Khan will lead the pace attack while Imad Wasim and Sunil Narine have the spin department. 

Narine has been in good touch, picking up wickets consistently and bowling at a decent economy. He will be the key bowler for the Knight Riders.

Knight Riders need a more consistent effort from their batters to stage a comeback. Though the bowlers can find some help from the pitch, and hence, they can be expected to deliver, it is the batting that needs to turn things around.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Predicted Playing XI:

Alishan Sharafu, Andries Gous (wk), Michael-Kyle Pepper, Sam Hain, Laurie Evans, Imad Wasim, Andre Russell, David Willey, Sunil Narine (c), Joshua Little, Matiullah Khan, Ali Khan

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Actual Playing XI:

Alishan Sharafu, Laurie Evans, Sam Hain, Joe Clarke, Ali Khan, Marchant de Lange, Matiullah Khan, Andre Russell, David Willey, Sunil Narine, Andries Gous, Imad Wasim

Desert Vipers Preview

Desert Vipers are all set to settle the score with Knight Riders. The Vipers are coming off a convincing win over Gulf Giants in their last game in Dubai. And they will be carrying the momentum into this game.

They found the right balance in the bowling attack with Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Amir, and Wanindu Hasaranga leading the wicket-takers chart. 

There were more bowlers in their opening game against the Knight Riders, but that variety didn’t help them much while defending a 164-run total. It is a balanced wicket in Abu Dhabi where scoring isn’t as easy as it would be in Dubai in a night match.

As such, it may not be a very high-scoring game and the batters in both sides will face a tough challenge. Desert Vipers will need their experienced openers Colin Munro and Alex Hales to step up and deliver a strong start. 

In the lower-middle order, they’ve got Azam Khan and Sherfane Rutherford, both of whom looked in good touch in the last match. Wanindu Hasaranga came in to bat at number 4 and scored a quick-fire 42 off 19 balls.

Just like the opposition, the Vipers too have a lot of strength in the middle and in addition, they’ve got plenty of experience at the top.

Desert Vipers Predicted Playing XI:

Colin Munro (c), Alex Hales, Rohan Mustafa, Adam Hose, Azam Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shaheen Afridi, Aryan Lakra, Mohammad Amir, Tymal Mills, Sherfane Rutherford

Desert Vipers Actual Playing XI:

Azam Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Colin Munro, Sherfane Rutherford, Mohammad Amir, Tymal Mills, Aryan Lakra, Rohan Mustafa, Shadab Khan, Alex Hales, Adam Hose, Wanidu Hasaranga

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

It has been a batting-friendly pitch here in Abu Dhabi and batters have enjoyed scoring big. However, in recent games, there were instances of batters struggling to score as freely as they’d expect. We reckon there is something on offer for the bowlers as well and we expect an even contest between the bat and the ball.

ADKR vs DV Pitch Report

Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi will be the venue for this encounter between Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Desert Vipers. The average 1st innings score here is 163 runs but for a match-winning total, we reckon the team batting first should look for something over 180-185 runs.

Toss: To Bowl

It is a day game and there may not be a lot of runs on offer in the 1st innings. We reckon chasing should be on the minds of both skippers as they come face-to-face in Abu Dhabi.