Gulf Giants vs Dubai Capitals Prediction & Match Preview – ILT20 2025-26
Match summary
Gulf Giants face Dubai Capitals at Sharjah in ILT20 2025-26. Our preview covers recent form, probable XIs, pitch, weather and a match verdict.
Match details
| Match | Gulf Giants vs Dubai Capitals, 23rd Match |
|---|---|
| Series | International League T20 2025-26 |
| Date | 21 Dec 2025 |
| Start time | 10:00 am GMT / 2:00 pm local |
| Venue | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Dubai Capitals |
| Toss pick | Gulf Giants |
Matches in this series
Match preview
Gulf Giants and Dubai Capitals meet at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the 23rd match of ILT20 2025-26, an afternoon fixture.
The Giants will look to Pathum Nissanka, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, James Vince, Moeen Ali and Azmatullah Omarzai for runs. In their previous game Gurbaz made a fluent 72 off 45 balls, with four fours and five sixes, but got little support: Nissanka scored 17, and Vince and Moeen 16 each. Tabraiz Shamsi stood out with the ball, taking 3 for 23 from four overs, and Matthew Forde, Fred Klaassen, Aayan Afzal Khan and Chris Wood share the bowling load.
Dubai Capitals’ batting leans on Shayan Jahangir, Leus du Plooy, Jordan Cox, captain Dasun Shanaka and Sediqullah Atal. Atal made 66 off 44 in their last match, Cox added 28, and Mohammad Nabi finished unbeaten on 38 off 19 to lift the total to 180. Nabi and Waqar Salamkheil took three wickets each, and Mustafizur Rahman returned 2 for 13 from two overs, with David Willey and Muhammad Jawadullah also in the attack.
Short boundaries reward clean hitting, and spinners and cutters tend to become more effective as the pitch wears. Our preview favours the Capitals.
Sharjah is a batter-friendly venue in limited-overs cricket, with a generally flat pitch and short boundaries that let batters score freely once set. Pacers may find some seam or bounce early, but that fades and spinners and bowlers with variations can take control of the middle overs. High scores are common, and sides who build partnerships tend to do well. Chasing teams should plan for dew or slowing conditions later.
Expect a warm and mostly sunny afternoon of around 22–24 °C, with clear to partly sunny skies, moderate humidity and light breezes. The chance of rain is low, though isolated light showers cannot be ruled out entirely.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 165–180 | – |
| Second innings | 155–170 | – |
Dubai Capitals
The Capitals posted 180 last time out through Sediqullah Atal and Mohammad Nabi, while the Giants’ batting leaned heavily on Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
Toss pick: Gulf Giants
FAQ
What time does Gulf Giants vs Dubai Capitals start?
The 23rd ILT20 match starts at 2:00 pm local time (10:00 am GMT) at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on 21 December 2025.
Who does our preview pick?
We lean towards Dubai Capitals, who showed good depth with bat and ball in their last match.
What is a good total in Sharjah?
Around 170 or more puts a chasing team under pressure, and 180 could prove match-defining if defended well.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Gulf Giants
- Pathum Nissanka
- Rahmanullah Gurbazwk
- James Vincec
- Sean Dickson
- Moeen Ali
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Asif Khan
- Aayan Afzal Khan
- Chris Wood
- Fred Klaassen
- Matthew Forde
Dubai Capitals
- Dasun Shanakac
- Leus du Plooy
- Shayan Jahangirwk
- Jordan Cox
- Mohammad Nabi
- James Neesham / Haider Ali
- David Willey
- Sediqullah Atal
- Waqar Salamkheil
- Muhammad Jawadullah
- Mustafizur Rahman
Head-to-head
Earlier meetings of Gulf Giants and Dubai Capitals that we covered.