International League T20 Tips Matches Five & Six: Naib could nail big-price win

• Top bat prices catch the eye

• Naib should bat at No 3 for GG

• Charles underrated at 9/25.50

• Be aware of toss bias

• Read the ILT20 team guide HERE

Dubai Capitals v Gulf Giants
Saturday 6 December, 14:30
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Dubai Capitals v Gulf Giants ILT20 tips

Two games into the ILT20 at Dubai and the bias for the chaser has held firm. The better news is that the match odds market, as usual, is slow to react. Giants downed hot favourites MI Emirates in a moderate chase of 164 on Thursday.

Pre-toss, then, the key takeaway is...wait for the toss. We would be happy to bet the chaser blind but recognise that better odds may be available at the break. The trend is currently 20 wins for the team batting second in the last 29 ILT20 matches. 

It looks as though the market is particularly enamoured with Giants after their upset and early indications are that they could go off marginal favourites. Capitals are the champions but were on the wrong end of the flip against Vipers who got after their 150 with relative ease.

Team news is hard to come by and there are important players who missed the first round of matches for both teams. There was no Leus du Plooy for Dubai. He would have been a more appealing option for gamblers instead of Sediqullah Atal being subbed in. And James Vince appears not to have yet arrived for Giants so the skipper's place at the top of the order has gone to Pathum Nissanka.

Nissanka's 81 from 42 blitzed MI to ensure they won with more than five overs to spare. Nissanka is 12/53.40 with Sportsbook with Vince listed as favourite.

For Dubai, Gulbadin Naib looks chunky at 11/26.50 in terms of batting order and win rate. He has been established as No 3 since then end of last term.

Sharjah Warriors v MI Emirates
Sunday 7 December, 10:00
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Sharjah Warriors v MI Emirates ILT20 tips

Nic Pooran backers are wiping away bitter tears with those metaphorical betting slips after the West Indian was denied a top-bat win for MI despite 46 from 39. Kieron Pollard blitzed his score in six fewer balls and it may be worth swerving him again.

Pooran, despite excellent win rates, can be difficult to predict. His strike rate suggested he wasn't at his fluent best and it is often hard to stomach betting him at odds no better than 11/43.75 when he batted as low as No 4. Really he should be in first down. With Muhammad Waseem, Jonny Bairstow and Tom Banton all ahead of him he could be too often playing catch up.

Both teams need a win in their second game. Warriors' bowling went round the park against Abu Dhabi at Sharjah, conceding a massive 233. It does look an attack which is low on guile or points of difference, Adil Rashid the exception. Tim Southee (yes, he's still going) went for more than 12 an over and Dwaine Pretorius for more than 17. 

With the likes of Taskin Ahmed and Richard Ngarava in the squad, (fitness and availability permitting) they seem to have selected the weaker bowlers. 

The balance of Mi Emirates actually looks pretty good, although they failed to give any overs to Romario Shepherd. That was a strange call. If they can get him into the attack then a combination of his death work, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Chris Woakes and Faz Farooqi should be dangerous going forward.

As far as wagers go, the standout is clearly Johnson Charles to deliver a top-bat win for Sharjah at 9/25.50. He has a win rate of 28% in the last two editions and is very definition of value given he opens the batting. 

Now read Ed's Ashes second Tet In-Play summary here.