Malta vs Gibraltar Preview Game 2 – T20 Internationals 2026 | Statz

6th May 2026

Malta and Gibraltar meet for the second time in a day in this T20 International double-header, with Game 2 starting at 13:00 BST (12:00 UTC) on Thursday 7 May. Two bites of the cherry for both teams – and for punters looking for early form signals heading into this second match.

Malta host Gibraltar in what is expected to be a competitive back-to-back series. With both sides playing the same opposition twice in one day, adjustments at the toss and team selection could be key. Check the T20 Internationals competition page for the latest.

The Venue

No venue data is available on Statz for this fixture – the ground coordinates are not confirmed in the system. Historical H2H matches between these sides have been played at Marsa Sports Club in Malta, where scoring has been competitive, with totals ranging from 132 to 213 in past meetings. Statz models Malta’s 1st innings projection at 158 based on current form and conditions, suggesting a batting-friendly surface. The afternoon slot may offer slightly different conditions to Game 1 – watch for any dew factor in the evening session.

Form and Table

This is a standalone T20 International series – no league table standings are available for this fixture.

Malta – last 5: L (vs Switzerland, 164/6 vs 166/4), W (vs France, 82/3 vs 78/10), L (vs Switzerland, 156/9 vs 157/4), W (vs Romania, 187/7 vs 145/9), W (vs Luxembourg, 175/4 vs 174/6). Three wins from five – Malta post big totals when they click.

Gibraltar – last 5: L (vs Estonia, 159/10 vs 160/2), W (vs Estonia, 151/8 vs 149/6), L (vs Bulgaria, 170/6 vs 171/5), L (vs Romania, 141/10 vs 142/2), W (vs Bulgaria, 213/0 vs 192/6). Two wins from five. Gibraltar are capable of putting 150+ on the board but have struggled to defend in tight finishes.

Head-to-Head

4 meetings since 2021 (Statz data). Malta 2-0 (2 no results – one tied on D/L method, one abandoned). Malta have won both completed H2H fixtures, including a 61-run victory (213/5 vs 152/2) in October 2021 and a 5-wicket win chasing 132/6 vs 135/5 in May 2022. All four H2H matches have been played at Marsa Sports Club – Malta have a perfect record there against Gibraltar.

Statz Projections

Statz gives Malta a 61.2% win probability in the batting-first scenario, rising to 61.6% if Gibraltar bat first.

Malta bat first:

Gibraltar bat first:

Projections mirror those from Game 1. Malta’s 9-run batting-first edge (158 vs 149) reflects their stronger batting unit. Match total centre point is 300, with both teams contributing high-scoring innings in the model.

Competition Season Leaders

T20 Internationals Orange Cap (runs):

  1. Karanbir Singh – 278 runs (5 innings)
  2. Musaddiq Ahmed – 277 runs (5 innings)
  3. Suryakumar Yadav – 242 runs (5 innings)
  4. Shimron Hetmyer – 233 runs (6 innings)
  5. Ishan Kishan – 215 runs (4 innings)

T20 Internationals Purple Cap (wickets):

  1. Keshav Maharaj – 12 wickets (8 innings)
  2. Shahid Afridi – 11 wickets (5 innings)
  3. Mitchell Santner – 10 wickets (8 innings)
  4. Ben Sears – 10 wickets (6 innings)
  5. Matthew Humphreys – 10 wickets (5 innings)

Malta and Gibraltar season leaders: Game 1 of this series will provide fresh data – check back after the morning fixture for updated series stats.

Predicted XIs

Based on last known XIs (Statz data). Teams may rotate after Game 1 – check the fixture page for confirmed changes.

Malta (last XI vs Switzerland, 16 Jul 2023): Zeeshan Khan (bat), Fanyan Mughal (all-rounder), Darshit Patankar (wk), Gopal Thakur (bat/wk), Varun Prasath Thamotharam (all-rounder, C), Bikram Arora (bat), Affy Khan (wk), Eldhose Mathew (all-rounder), Waqar Afridi (bat), Jaspal Singh (all-rounder), Waseem Abbas (all-rounder)

Gibraltar (last XI vs Estonia, 30 Sep 2023): Avinash Pai (bat, C), Iain Latin (bowler), James Fitzgerald (all-rounder), Julian Freyone (bat), Kabir Mirpuri (bowler), Kayron Stagno (wk), Louis Bruce (all-rounder), Matthew Whelan (bat), Patrick Hatchman (bowler), Richard Hatchman (bowler), Samarth Bodha (all-rounder)

Dream11 Tips

Captain: Waqar Afridi (Malta) – 114.0 projected Dream11 points

Waqar Afridi tops the Dream11 projection chart from all in_recent_xi players across both sides. Projected 1.78 wickets, economy 6.82, batting SR over 164. A double Game Day for Waqar Afridi fans.

Vice Captain: Louis Bruce (Gibraltar) – 79.1 projected Dream11 points

Bruce is Gibraltar’s standout projection. 27.7 projected runs at SR 118, 0.44 wickets per game, and proven H2H pedigree with 59 runs and 4 wickets across 3 Malta meetings.

Next 3 for reference:

  1. Avinash Pai (GIB) – 78.8 pts
  2. Fanyan Mughal (MLT) – 78.0 pts
  3. Waseem Abbas (MLT) – 76.3 pts

Key Players

Varun Prasath Thamotharam (Malta) – Captain and consistent performer. 94 runs and 1 wicket in 3 H2H matches. His left-arm pace is a useful additional weapon if Malta bowl first.

Waqar Afridi (Malta) – 114-point Dream11 projection. Projected 1.78 wickets at economy 6.82 with a batting SR of 164+. His second game in the day could be just as impactful as the first.

Louis Bruce (Gibraltar) – 59 runs and 4 wickets in H2H cricket. Gibraltar’s most reliable match-winner and their best chance of levelling the series in Game 2.

Avinash Pai (Gibraltar) – Opening the batting and captaining the side. Projected 21.8 runs at SR 124.9, plus 0.51 wickets per game with economy 7.02 over 3.5 overs. A genuine all-round option from the top of the order.

Conditions

No weather data available from Statz – venue coordinates are unconfirmed. Afternoon session in Malta in May. Any dew in the evening could favour the team bowling first in the second innings.

Verdict and Betting Angles

Malta to win again. The H2H record and Statz projections both point to Malta, regardless of what happens in Game 1. If Gibraltar adjust after the morning fixture, this could be tighter – but Malta’s 61.2% win probability holds firm in the model.

No live bookmaker odds are available via Statz for this fixture.

Bet Builder Angles (based on Statz projections and H2H form – no individual hit rate data available for this fixture):

  1. Waqar Afridi to take 1+ wickets – 1.78 projected wickets per game. Back-to-back appearances give double exposure to his best asset.
  2. Louis Bruce to score 20+ runs – 59 runs in 3 H2H matches. If Gibraltar are going to compete in Game 2, Bruce needs to fire.
  3. Malta to win by 30+ runs – Their two H2H victories came by 61 runs and 5 wickets respectively. Statz has them 9 projected runs clear of Gibraltar in 1st innings batting.
  4. Match total over 270 – Statz model projects 300. P10 is 259. High-scoring is the default setting for both teams.

Build your angles at the Malta vs Gibraltar Game 2 Bet Builder.