Desert Vipers vs Sharjah Warriors, ILT20, Today Match Prediction 28 January 2024

DV vs SW Match Prediction & Analysis

Desert Vipers will take on the Sharjah Warriors at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah. Both teams have failed to defend a total so far this season and their only win has come while chasing a target in Dubai.

There are issues in the batting department in both sides which need to be addressed going ahead in the league. Right after a successful run-chase in Dubai, the Vipers finished with 154 for 8 batting first in Abu Dhabi. 

Whereas Warriors, who chased down a 171-run target in Dubai, were bowled out for 74 runs in the very next game in Sharjah while chasing 181.

There are many big-hitting T20 stars in both sides who are struggling to find form and consistency at the moment. While Sharjah is a pretty small ground where batters have enjoyed scoring big in the past, it also depends on the pitch on the day.

A flat track should help both teams bounce back. But if it is a used pitch that has slowed down and helps the spinners, it will be a tough outing for the batters.

RECENT PERFORMANCE

DV

L W L

ADKR

160/4 in 17.2 9.23

ILT20

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders beat Desert Vipers by 7 wickets 27 Jan 2024

DV

154/8 in 20.0 7.7

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

SW

L W L

SW

74/10 in 12.1 6.08

ILT20

MI Emirates won by 106 runs 26 Jan 2024

MIE

180/7 in 20.0 9

DC

170/7 in 20.0 8.5

ILT20

Sharjah Warriors beat Dubai Capitals by 6 wickets 22 Jan 2024

SW

171/5 in 18.5 9.08

SW

167/7 in 20.0 8.35

ILT20

Gulf Giants beat Sharjah Warriors by 31 runs 19 Jan 2024

GG

198/7 in 20.0 9.9

HEAD TO HEAD

TEAMS PREVIEW

Desert Vipers Preview

Desert Vipers suffered a batting collapse in Abu Dhabi after they were put to bat first against the Knight Riders. Colin Munro led the fight with a 44-ball fifty helping his side cross the 150-run mark.

Alex Hales, Adam Hose, and Azam Khan are the key batters in this lineup who will be expected to bounce back and make some impactful contributions to the team total. While there is also Wanindu Hasaranga at number 4, he’s not as experienced with the bat at the position as others.

His role is to swing the bat and aim for the big ones. However, others around him need to strike crucial partnerships in the middle if the Vipers are to make a comeback.

They are in desperate need of consistency from the batters. They’ve got Shadab Khan and Sherfane Rutherford in the lower order who are pretty handy with the bat. We reckon Rutherford will be better suited at number 4 than Hasaranga.

There are quality bowlers in the side but with a small total on the board, they might not be able to make much of an impact. Wanindu Hasaranga is the key bowler to watch out for in this squad.

In the pace department, there are the likes of Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Amir, and Tymal Mills all of whom pack plenty of experience and talent.

Desert Vipers Predicted Playing XI:

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

Desert Vipers Actual Playing XI:

Azam Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Colin Munro, Sherfane Rutherford, Luke Wood, Matheesha Pathirana, Aryan Lakra, Rohan Mustafa, Shadab Khan, Alex Hales, Adam Hose, Wanidu Hasaranga

Sharjah Warriors Preview

This will be the 3rd game for Sharjah Warriors at this venue. After losing their last two matches here, the Warriors will be under pressure coming into this match. In their last match which was against MI Emirates at this venue, the Warriors were bowled out for 74 runs while chasing an 181-run target.

There are high expectations from a batting lineup that features Martin Guptill, Johnson Charles, and Tom Kohler-Core in the top 3. In the middle-order, there are the experienced Joe Denly and Niroshan Dickwella.

There is no shortage of potential match-winners in this star-studded batting lineup. In the lower middle order, all-rounders like Lewis Gregory and Daniel Sams form add strength to the batting lineup.

Warriors should be able to not only get off to a blinder but also finish the innings on a high given their batting strength. However, their current form says otherwise.

In their successful run-chase against the Capitals in Dubai, only Johnson Charles made significant contributions among the top 4. There were signs of batting struggle in their opening game too where the middle order collapsed leading to a 31-run loss for the Warriors.

There are many reliable and experienced bowlers in this squad. Chris Woakes and Dilshan Madhushanka will be the ones to watch out for. Maheesh Theekshana has been among the wicket-takers while Madhushanka struggled to find his rhythm.

Sharjah Warriors Predicted Playing XI:

Johnson Charles, Tom Kohler-Core (c), Joe Denly, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Lewis Gregory, Basil Hameed, Daniel Sams, Chris Woakes, Muhammad Jawadullah, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka

Sharjah Warriors Actual Playing XI:

Martin Guptill, Basil Hameed, Joe Denly, Chris Woakes, Lewis Gregory, Johnson Charles, Tom Kohler Core, Mark Watt, Muhammad Jawadullah, Daniel Sams, Maheesh Theekshana, Niroshan Dickwella

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

It is a batting-friendly pitch in Sharjah. However, it gets slower as more games are played here. The last games saw teams batting first score 190+ and we reckon there is still a lot of help for the batters on this surface. Spinners can come into play in the second innings and will be ones to watch out for. The weather will be partly cloudy with a high of 26 degrees Celsius in Sharjah on the match day.

DV vs SW Pitch Report

Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah will be the venue for this 13th match of the International League T20. The average 1st innings score here is 156 runs in T20s but we reckon a match-winning total should be something over 190 runs. 

Toss: To Bat

Teams batting first have won both matches at this venue so far. It seems a bit tricky to chase down a target here though the boundaries are smaller than other venues. Also, considering the current form of both teams, they’d rather set a target than chase one down.