Desert Vipers v Gulf Giants ILT20 Tips: Hales force to blow on Gulf

• Giants the better team

• Vince 11/4 top Giants bat

• Hales boosted to 3/1

Desert Vipers v Gulf Giants
Wednesday 8 February, 14:00
TV: Live on BT Sports

Team news

Vipers lost three matches, two of those to Gulf Giants. They were pipped for top spot in the final game but few would argue they've been as strong as their opponents here.

Their main issue is that they are a batter short. Benny Howell or Wanindu Hasaranga have been batting at least one spot too high. The signing of 39-year-old Naman Ojha, who last played a T20 four years ago and had a career strike rate of 118 is, frankly, bizarre. He just won't play.

Possible XI: Hales, Mustafa, Munro, Billings, Rutherford, Hasaranga, T Curran, Howell, Cottrell, Pathirana, Ahmed

Giants would have comfortably topped the group were it not for their two washouts. They have lost just once - against Warriors in January. Five of their seven wins have come chasing.

They are desperately trying to hide UAE player Afzal Khan. One of these days they might not be able to get away with it. Colin de Grandhomme and Carlos Brathwaite came off the bench in their last outing but we expect them to be at full strength.

Possible XI: Banton, Vince, Lynn, Hetmyer, Wiese, Ahmed, Afzal, Dawson, Jordan, Gleeson, Sanchit

Pitch report

Seven from 12 matches have been won by the chaser at Dubai. Giants won the head-to-heads at this ground, winning from both sides of the coin so to speak.

More than 180 has been busted five times. They are the tighter bowling unit so only Giants are an overs play if they bat first rather than the other way round.

How to play

The match odds market has settled on Giants as clear favourites at 1.8910/11. That is as it should be. Earlier shows had it as a choice affair.

We would expect that 1.8910/11 to hold even if the toss went in their favour and they chase. That would be a strong bet. As we have siad, Giants have proven to be the stonger team throughout.

Tops value

Alex Hales has been boosted to 3/1 for top Vipers bat. We're prepared to put faith in him given his 99 against this attack earlier in the tournament.

He is also a big-game player. For Vipers, James Vince is boosted to 11/4. We have to mention the 12s on Rehan Ahmed because he has opened in this comp.