ILT20 2023 Playoffs: Desert Vipers vs Gulf Giants | Fantasy Tips and Teams

image-ldupziibSource: Twitter (Gulf Giants)

After more than three weeks of intense cricketing action, we have finally arrived at the Playoff stage of the International League T20 (ILT20). Six teams battled out against each other with four franchises qualifying for the next crucial stage.

Match no. 31 of the inaugural edition of the lucrative league will see the Desert Vipers square off against the Gulf Giants at the Dubai International Stadium, Dubai.

The Giants finished at the top of the charts with 16 points from 10 matches. They won seven matches and lost just a solitary one. Two of the games they played were abandoned due to rain.

Meanwhile, the Vipers missed out an opportunity to finish at the top of the table after a loss against their upcoming opponent at the cue end of the league stages. They ended the stage with 14 points from 10 matches. However, they had incurred three losses with two of them being against the Giants.

The winner of the match gets a direct entry into the final and that's the best part of this upcoming event. The loser will get another chance in the second qualifier against the winner of the eliminator. Both sides will be looking blazing all guns out but for now we shall deep dive into the fantasy aspect of the following encounter. 


Ground Stats: Dubai International Stadium

The surface at Dubai is friendly towards the spinners and bowlers with good slower variations. The chasing sides won six out of the ten matches in ILT20 2023. The boundaries are large, and the bowlers can bring out wittiness. But with dew being a factor in certain games, the chasing team gets the upper hand.

Numbers at the ground in ILT20 2023 (completed games)

Total Matches: 12
Matches won batting first: 5
Matches won batting second: 7
Average runs batting first: 166
Average runs batting second: 155
Average runs per over: 8.37
Average runs per wicket: 27.34


GUL vs VIP, Match 31: Head to Head

Both sides have met each other twice during the group stages and it was Gulf Giants who eeked past the Vipers on both the occasions.

Total Matches: 2
Dsesert Vipers: 0 
Gulf Giants: 2


GUL vs VIP, Match 31: Probable Playing XI

Desert Vipers Team update

No major updates

Desert Vipers Probable Playing XI

Alex Hales, Rohan Mustafa, Colin Munro (c), Sam Billings (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Tom Curran, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sheldon Cottrell, Matheesha Pathirana, Shiraz Ahmed

Gulf Giants

There are concerns on the availability of Dominic Drakes after he was injured and rushed to the hospital in the previous game.

Gulf Giants Probable Playing XI

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


GUL vs VIP, Match 31: Top Picks

  1. Alex Hales(VIP): The English top-order batter has been the highest rungetter for the Vipers. He has been in surreal form since the T20 World Cup 2022.
  2. James Vince(GUL): The English batter has been a revelation after promoting himself up the order for the Giants. He has played some important knocks for the side and will look to do so this time.
  3. David Wiese(GUL): Be it with the ball in hand or be it with the bat in hand, the Namibian all-rounder can do it all. He is one of the must picks for the fantasy team.
  4. Wanindu Hasaranga(VIP): The Sri-Lankan all-rounder has been brilliant in the gliteratti league so far. Barring his bowling, he can also be a healthy contributor with the willow in hand.
  5. Matheesha Pathirana(VIP): The Sri-Lankan quick who was regarded to be the future Lasith Malinga, has shown some glimpses of his potential in the last game. He can be an X-factor during the slog overs.

GUL vs VIP, Match 31: Must Picks

Desert Vipers

  1. Wanindu Hasaranga
  2. Alex Hales
  3. Colin Munro

Gulf Giants

  1. James Vince
  2. David Wiese
  3. Chris Jordan

GUL vs VIP, Match 31: Risky Picks

Desert Vipers: Sam Billings, Sheldon Cottrell
Gulf Giants: Sanchit Sharma, Chris Lynn


GUL vs VIP, Match 31: Best Captain and Vice-captain choices

  • David Wiese
  • Alex Hales
  • Wanindu Hasaranga

GUL vs VIP, Match 31: Team for Head to Head contests

Create and Participate with this team in the Cricket Exchange Fantasy App.

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Wicketkeepers: Tom Banton
Batters: Alex Hales, Colin Munro, James Vince, Shimron Hetmyer
All-rounders: Tom Curran, Wanindu Hasaranga, David Wiese
Bowlers: Matheesha Pathirana, Sanchit Sharma, Sheldon Cottrell

Captain: David Wiese
Vice-captain: Alex Hales

GUL: 5   VIP:6


GUL vs VIP, Match 31: Team for Winner Takes All contests

Create and Participate with this team in the Cricket Exchange Fantasy App.

image-lduq5ituPowered by Cricket Exchange Fantasy

Wicketkeepers: Sam Billings
Batters: Alex Hales, James Vince, Shimron Hetmyer
All-rounders: Tom Curran, Wanindu Hasaranga, David Wiese, Rohan Mustafa
Bowlers: Matheesha Pathirana, Chris Jordan, Qais Ahmad

Captain: James Vince
Vice-captain: Tom Curran

GUL: 5   VIP:6


Also Read: ILT20 2023 | Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers: Preview, Prediction and Fantasy Tips