World Giants vs Asia Lions, LLC T20 2023, Today Match Prediction 20 March 2023

wgs vs aln Match Prediction & Analysis

Asia Lions and World Giants are all set to lock horns in the Final. The Giants secured the final spot courtesy of their position in the points table while the Lions beat Maharajas in the Eliminator to reach here.

Shahid Afridi led the Lions in the all-important game after Misbah had been at the helm for the last few matches. The skipper was impressive with the ball and had a variety of bowlers stepping up to the occasion.

World Giants have found back-to-back success after their loss against Asia Lions in their second game of the season. Hashim Amla, Kallis, and Chris Gayle were among the top scorers for World Giants in their recent outings.

However, the performances in the Giants’ lineup have been isolated. And they desperately need to improve as they face an in-form Lions’ batting order. Lions delivered one of the best all-round performances of the season in their last match against India Maharajas. They will be mighty confident coming into the final.

TEAMS PREVIEW

World Giants Preview

Having only a few players deliver in an innings was the issue for every team this season. There had not been high-scoring games with even big hitters struggling to hit the long ball.

But now, the other finalist, Asia Lions, have sorted this problem with more than just a couple of batsmen to rely on. This is where World Giants are behind the opposition. 

Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Shane Watson, and Chris Gayle are all big-impact players known for their big-hitting prowess. These batters make any batting lineup look formidable.

The Giants have them in their top 4 and that makes the batting lineup very promising. However, it has been only one or two of these batters who have stepped up and played a significant knock at a time.

That needs to change. Though Brett Lee, Samit Patel, and Tino Best pose a threat to the Lions with their bowling consistency, the Giants need to find batting form and strike crucial partnerships throughout the innings.

It was the bowlers that helped Giants defeat Asia Lions in their previous encounter. A 150-run total isn’t really a par score and to defend it against a strong Lions batting order was truly a remarkable feat for the bowlers.

World Giants Predicted Playing XI:

Chris Gayle, Hashim Amla, Shane Watson (c), Jacques Kallis, Kevin O Brien, Morne van Wyk (wk), Samit Patel, Brett Lee, Tino Best, Chris Mpofu, Monty Panesar, Ricardo Powell

World Giants Actual Playing XI:

Ross Taylor, Morne van Wyk, Paul Collingwood, Tino Best, Brett Lee, Lendl Simmons, Ricardo Powell, Samit Patel, Chris Mpofu, Monty Panesar, Jacques Kallis, Shane Watson

Asia Lions Preview

Shahidi Afridi returned to the playing XI as captain of the Asia Lions in the Eliminator match against India Maharajas. They finished as the better team with a 2-1 record against the Maharajas this season.

It was one of the best performances of this season. The Lions were impressive in every department. After a rather slow start, Upul Tharanga launched a brilliant attack in the powerplay and set the right platform for a big finish.

In the middle order, Mohammad Hafeez and Asghar Afghan were crucial in maintaining the momentum set by the openers. Thisara Perera also looked in great touch and reminded of just what he was known for.

With the top and middle order finding its rhythm, Razzaq and Afridi can rest assured that there will be enough on the board for them to finish things on high.

At the moment, the Asia Lions' batting order looks formidable. The bowlers will also be key in the final. They did well in their last game against the World Giants even though the Lions ended up as the losing side.

Asia Lions managed to pick just 3 wickets in that game but restricted the Giants to a below-par score of 150 runs. The opposition has a brilliant bowling attack and that will be the Lions’ biggest challenge in this match.

Spinners play a key role in leading the Lions’ bowling attack. Abdur Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, and Mohammad Hafeez are also crucial for delivering breakthroughs. 

Asia Lions Predicted Playing XI:

Upul Tharanga (wk), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mohammad Hafeez, Misbah-ul-Haq, Thisara Perera, Asghar Afghan, Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi (c), Sohail Tanvir, Paras Khadka, Abdur Razzak, Isuru Udana

Asia Lions Actual Playing XI:

Mohammad Hafeez, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Abdur Razzak, Abdul Razzaq, Paras Khadka, Asghar Afghan, Thisara Perera, Misbah-ul-Haq, Isuru Udana, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The pitch offers a good balance between bat and ball. There is a decent bounce and carry that should allow the batters to execute their strokes while the spinners can also find some purchase as the game progresses. The weather is expected to be sunny with a high of 28 degrees Celsius.

Venue Details

The West Park International Cricket Stadium is where the Giants will defend their title against the Lions in the final. It had been a low-scoring venue but the recent Eliminator match has raised the hopes of fans and experts alike. With big-hitting legends on both teams, the final can turn out to be a thriller. The team batting first should be looking at something over 170-175 to give themselves the best chance of winning the title.

Toss: To Bat

For the Lions, all of their wins have come batting first. It is not easy to chase a total at this venue and they suffered a loss against the Giants chasing a 151-run target in their last encounter. Both teams would be keen on batting first and having runs on the board if they win the toss.