ILT20 2023 match preview: Gulf Giants v Sharjah Warriors

Key match-ups, analysis, form, team news, weather forecast, tickets, TV and streaming information, odds, predictions and more ahead of the latest encounter in the 2023 ILT20

What's the match?

Gulf Giants face Sharjah Warriors in the latest installment of the ILT20 2023. 

When is it taking place?

Start of play is scheduled for 6pm local time (2pm GMT) on Monday, January 23.

Where is the match being played?

The game was be played at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai.

Who's got the form?

Gulf Giants sit at the top of the leaderboard with four wins in four games - they are the only unbeaten side left in the competition.

Chris Lynn and Shimron Hetmyer scored half-centuries on Sunday to help the Giants successfully chase 196 against Desert Vipers while David Wiese and James Vince have also made contributions with the bat. As for the bowlers, Chris Jordan has seven wickets from four matches while Wiese has six.

Sharjah Warriors, on the other hand, began their tournament with three consecutive defeats before finally getting points on the board at the fourth time of asking.

Last time out, they defeated Dubai Capitals by seven wickets. English batter Tom Kohler-Cadmore showcased his power at the top of the order in that fixture, smashing 106 off 47 deliveries to successfully chase down 178 with 32 balls to spare.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore scored a century in his most recent outings for Sharjah Warriors [Getty Images]

What's the key match-up?

The meeting of in-form batters James Vince, Chris Lynn, and Shimron Hetmyer and Warriors pacer Chris Woakes promises to be exciting.

Vince, the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, is in red-hot form, scoring 228 runs at a strike rate of 152 in four innings. Lynn and Hetmyer, meanwhile, found form against the Vipers, scoring 71 and 70, respectively.

As for Woakes, he has picked up five wickets in three matches. Unfortunately, he is surrounded by a number of young pacers while Mohammad Nabi is not bowling consistently well. Therefore, there will be a lot of pressure on the England international's shoulders.

What's the weather forecast?

Cloudy conditions with a chance of some sunshine breaking through in the afternoon. Temperatures are expected to peak around 23 degrees Celsius.

What is the team news?

Both teams are coming off a victory, so you would expect them to continue with the same XIs.

What are the squads?

Gulf Giants: Shimron Hetmyer, Chris Jordan, Chris Lynn, Tom Banton, Dominic Drakes, David Wiese, Jamie Overton, Richard Gleeson, Rehan Ahmed, Liam Dawson, James Vince (c), Qais Ahmad, Ollie Pope, Aayan Khan, Sanchit Sharma, CP Rizwaan, Ashwant Valthapa, Tom Helm, Gerhard Erasmus

Sharjah Warriors: Moeen Ali (c), Dawid Malan, Evin Lewis, Mohammad Nabi, Chris Woakes, Noor Ahmad, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Naveen-ul-Haq, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Chris Benjamin, Mark Deyal, Bilal Khan, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Alishan Sharafu, Muhammad Jawadullah, Marcus Stoinis, Jamal Todd, Joe Denly, Paul Walter

*Squads are for the whole ILT20 and not specific to this match

^{James Vince is the second-highest run-scorer in the competition [Getty Images]}

What are the possible starting XIs?

Gulf Giants: James Vince, Chris Lynn, Tom Banton, Rehan Ahmed, Shimron Hetmyer, David Weise, Liam Dawson, Afzal Khan, Chris Jordan, Sanchit Sharma, Richard Gleeson

Sharjah Warriors: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Dawid Malan, Moeen Ali, Joe Denly, Mohammed Nabi, Noor Ahmed, Chris Woakes, Muhammad Jawadullah, Junaid Siddique, Naveen-ul-Haq

What are the odds?

Giants are favourites with bookmakers Betfair, with a best available price of 2/5. Warriors are the outsiders with odds as long as 8/11.

What's the prediction?

Gulf Giants should continue their unbeaten run.

Are tickets available?

Tickets are available on Platinum List. Child tickets are available for just $2.81 while adult tickets start at $8.42.

Where can I watch the game?

ZEE have obtained the broadcast rights for the ILT20 on a long-term deal.

All 34 matches will be aired across the company's 10 linear channels, with coverage provided in more than 10 languages, including English, Hindi and Tamil, as well as on ZEE5 Global.

In the UK, Zee TV can be accessed via channel 709 on Sky and channel 809 on Virgin Media. Every match will also be available via BT Sport (TV/online/app) following a deal betwee the broadcaster and Zee.

Elsewhere in the world, the full tournament will be available via Zee Cinema (SD/HD), Zee Anmol Cinema, ZEE Thirai, Zee Bangla Cinema, Zee Zest (SD/HD), &Pictures, &Flix, and ZEE5.