Abu Dhabi T10 league will be starting from the 21st November as the host team Abu Dhabi will lock horns with Ajman Bolts. Team Abu Dhabi had a poor outing last year as they won just a single game and finished at the bottom of the points table. They will be looking to turn the tables this time and show better results. Meanwhile, Ajman Bolts are making their 1st appearance in the T10 league as this is their debut season.
Team Abu Dhabi don’t have a strong bowling attack as it lacks depth which is big downside especially in this format. On the other hand, Ajman Bolts have excellent depth in bowling with the likes of Nabi, Mujeeb, and McCoy.
TEAMS PREVIEW
Team Abu Dhabi Preview
The English opener Phillip Salt will lead the team in this season and will try to change the fortunes of Team Abu Dhabi. The batting order of Team Abu Dhabi looks quite strong as Salt will open the innings alongside his fellow countryman Jonny Bairstow. Both these aggressive openers will be the key for this side to provide quick starts.
The middle order is also very strong having the likes of Kyle Mayers, Asif Khan, and Michael-Kyle Pepper. In the lower order Shimron Hetmyer and Muhammad Irfan will be there to add more firepower to their batting unit. Team Abu Dhabi might lack depth but still they have some good bowlers in their lineup. Adam Milne and the Afghan leggie Noor Ahmad will be frontline bowlers while Allah Ghazanfar, Kyle Myers, and Muhammad Irfan are also there to support them and take wickets in the middle overs.
Ajman Bolts Preview
Ajman Bolts will be playing their debut season under the leadership of veteran Afghan cricketer Mohammad Nabi. He will try to take his side to glory using his experience. Ajman Bolts will look to win their opening game to start their campaign on a high.
They have the service of the experienced English batter Alex Hales who has the ability to hit big all around the ground. His responsibility will be to give blistering starts to his side. Their middle-order looks promising with the presence of experienced players such as Ravi Bopara, James Neesham, and Gulbadin Nabi. All these players can score quick runs and turn the match any time. Muhammad Nabi will bat in the lower order to use the long handle in the final overs.
Ajman Bolts have a much stronger bowling unit. Obed McCoy and Mujeeb ur Rahman are likely to bowl with the new ball and pick wickets upfront. Muhammad Nabi will add more strength to the bowling unit in the middle phase. Additionally, Ajman have a lots of brilliant all-rounders like Jimmy Neesham, Gulbadin Nabi, and Shehan Jayasuriya who can prove handy and pick major wickets during any phase of the game. They have a lot of bowling options which is very crucial to win games in the shortest format of the game.
Possible Playing XIs
The possible playing XIs of both teams are given below:
Team Abu Dhabi Predicted Playing XI:
Phillip Salt (c & wk), Jonny Bairstow, Kyle Mayers, Asif Khan, Shimron Hetmyer, Adam Milne, Noor Ahmed, Allah Ghazanfar, Muhammad Irfan, Haider Ali, Michael-Kyle Pepper
Ajman Bolts Predicted Playing XI:
Mohammad Nabi (c), Alex Hales, Mohammad Mohsin, Ravi Bopara, James Neesham, Gulbadin Naib, Abid Ali, Safeer Tariq (wk), Mujeeb ur Rahman, Shehan Jayasuriya, Obed McCoy
Weather Report
The weather in Abu Dhabi is looking warmer on the 21st of November. There are no chances of rain and the fans will enjoy a complete game of cricket. The weather will also be a bit cloudy and windy at night.
Pitch Report
The wicket at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi is likely to be flat and the batters will enjoy batting on this wicket. The ball will come onto the bat nicely and a high scoring game is expected. Fast bowlers must bowl at good lines and lengths otherwise it will be quite difficult for them. However, the spinners will be happy to bowl on this wicket as it is known to offer turn and spin. The side winning the will like to bat first on this wicket.
Average 1st Innings total
In the last season, the average first innings score in this ground was 112 runs. The team batting first would aim to score at least 120 plus to stay in the game.
Who will win?
The conditions will favor both teams and we expect to have an entertaining game of cricket. However, considering the depth in Ajman Bolts bowling we predict they will beat Team Abu Dhabi in the opening game of Abu Dhabi T10 league.
