The first real dead rubber of the Indian Premier League takes place on Wednesday when the Gujarat Lions host the Delhi Daredevils in Kanpur. Such has been the struggles for both this season that the two go into the match knowing that they can’t quality for the playoffs so pride is all that is at stake here.
This is the first time the IPL has been to Kanpur this season though so there should be a duty to entertain and with no pressure on either side we might get an entertaining contest.
Gujarat Lions
At no stage in this season have the Gujarat Lions ever threatened to produce the form which could see them push on and make it to the playoffs. Time and time again whenever they look to build momentum they either pick up an injury or make a strange selection decision to derail any positive energy they have.
The real issue for the Lions this season has come in their bowling attack. Only Andrew Tye has consistently delivered the goods for them but injury and a surprising lack of selection meant he has only featured in six matches. The rest of the attack have tried hard but have never had the control that Tye offered.
Delhi Daredevils
The Daredevils have a couple of sides to them and that isn’t good. When they are good they are fantastically good but when they are bad they are bleeding awful and there is no in between. No side can be at their best every time they go out on to the field. That is impossible but the good sides get results when not at their best.
To be fair it is largely with the bat that they have these issues. In recent times they have either banged out 200 or been rolled over for less than 70. In future seasons they need to find an in between but that is unlikely to come at this late stage of an innings so judging them ahead of a match isn’t easy.
Team News
Gujarat Lions are without Jason Roy, Brendon McCullum and Andrew Tye for the rest of the competition so having won last time out they might well be unchanged for this one.
Delhi will be without Sam Billings, Chris Morris, Angelo Mathews and Kagiso Rabada for the remainder of the tournament. Carlos Brathwaite could come into the side. Zaheer Khan’s fitness is touch and go.
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Betting
I’m going with two in this match. The match outcome doesn’t interest me given that this is a dead rubber and there is nothing to play for on either side but I do like a couple in the side markets which attract my interest.
I fancy we’re going to see a few sixes in this match. When the two met in Delhi earlier in the competition there were 31 sixes and this is a smaller ground than that. It is also the first game on this ground this season so you would expect the wicket to play pretty well and if that is the case then these two powerful sides with no pressure on them can swing from the hip and let it fly. I like 13 or more sixes here.
Carlos Brathwaite has had to bide his time and wait for his chance in this tournament but that chance could come along in this match and he is decent value at 25/1 to take advantage of that and top score for Delhi. Given their last batting performance you can make a case for anyone to top score in this side but Brathwaite can actually bat as we saw around this time last year and with Gujarat offering nothing at the death he could well fill his boots. He’s worth a chance.
Tips
Back 13 or more sixes for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Bet365
Back it here:
Back C.Brathwaite Top Delhi Daredevils Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 26.00 with Skybet
Back him here:
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