Betting Tips

The Dubai Capitals will be looking to capitalise on their visitors’ poor form this season. Having run out as convincing winners by nine wickets against them last year, they will be eager to get back on the park and do it again. The Gulf Giants struggles cannot go on for too much longer before they start panicking. Their key players, especially captain James Vince and their other numerous English imports, will need to fire soon.

Gulf Giants vs Dubai Capitals Head-to-Head Record

The Giants and Capitals have met each other three times in total. The Gulf Giants won both of the first two matches before the Capitals thrashed the Giants in the most recent game.

Gulf Giants vs Dubai Capitals Live-streaming and Broadcast

This ILT20 match between Gulf Giants and Dubai Capitals will take place at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday, 18 January 2025. In India, the options of TV broadcast and live-streaming on the Zee Network and the FanCode app will be available.

GG vs DC Team Previews

Gulf Giants

The experienced English batter James Vince takes control of proceedings both with the bat and on the field. The captain played a handy knock of 76 not out against the Desert Vipers, but he was offered little support around him.

The top order will look to Adam Lyth and Vince to provide stability and a solid base to work from. 37-year-old Lyth has almost 4800 runs in his expansive T20 career. Power-hitters like Shimron Hetmyer combined with Englishmen Jordan Cox and Ollie Robinson (wk) add that extra bit of flavour to the middle overs. The young prospect Cox has more than 250 runs in the ILT20.

Young leg-spinning sensation Rehan Ahmed brings a dangerous spin option. Wrist-spinners are often successful in T20 cricket. Young left-arm spinner Aayan Afzal Khan adds depth to the spin department and an understanding of conditions from a local point of view. He has 43 T20 career wickets. Another local talent Saghir Khan provides additional bowling support.

The pace attack is spearheaded by the fiery Tymal Mills with Irish all-rounder Mark Adair and Australian bowler Daniel Worrall adding pace and control. Adair had unbelievable returns of two for 12 in four overs against the Vipers in his previous match.

Worrall took bowling figures of three for 15 in last year’s competition.

Gulf Giants Expected Playing 11

Dubai Capitals

At the top, Ben Dunk and Shai Hope form a dependable and powerful opening pair. Both can play the ball on merit and take risks to increase the scoring rate. Hope was undoubtedly the star if the Capitals batting innings versus MI Emirates. He scored a scintillating 101 runs off 59 balls to keep them in the game.

Australian Dunk has more than 3500 T20 runs in his career. The middle order is packed with power hitters like Rovman Powell, Dasun Shanaka and Haider Ali. All of them will play with the fearlessness required to play the crunch moments. Sri Lankan Shanaka has a T20 high score of 131 runs unbeaten.

Zimbabwean Sikandar Raza takes the reigns with the captaincy. Raza’s leadership and performances with bat and ball will be a key marker for how his side goes this season. Brandon McMullen and Gulbadin Naib are two more all-rounders who can change the momentum of the game in either facet of the game.

The Afghan Naib took three wickets in three overs against MI Emirates in the more recent game. He also took three wickets against them in the season opener. McMullen hit a half-century in his opening game of the tournament.

The pace attack will require spirited bowling spells from Olly Stone and Dushmantha Chameera. They bring a combo of lightning pace and lethal swing to the party. Stone took a double-wicket haul in both games against MI Emirates. Chameera has 11 ILT20 wickets to his name.

Young talent Farhan Khan will aim to make an impression and being guided by his experienced fast bowling teammates.

Dubai Capitals Expected Playing 11

GG vs DC Toss Prediction

The Gulf Giants have lost both of their matches by batting first. They could be looking to bowl first to change their outcomes. The only time the Capitals have beaten the Giants is when they chased 139 in February 2024. Bowling first could be on both captains’ minds.

Pitch and Conditions

As with most subcontinent pitches, the Sharjah Cricket Stadium pitch is known for being dry and typically favouring spin bowlers. Batters will benefit as the pitch becomes easier for batting under lights with the ball skidding on. The teams will need to be smart with their bowling options, particularly in the second innings, with the odds stacked against them.

The highest target chased at Sharjah in the 2024 ILT20 was 139 by the Dubai Capitals.

Sharjah is unlikely to experience rain with only a five percent chance of rain on the day. The skies will likely be partly cloudy. Temperatures are expected to be warm at 23 degrees Celsius with the added feel of humidity.

GG vs DC Betting Tips

The Gulf Giants have struggled this tournament with two losses from two games. Another loss in this game could send them into a figurative hole that will be difficult to get out of. The Dubai Capitals have at least tasted victory this season. That confidence will put them as slight favorites.

Bet on Dubai Capitals to win this match.