The second half of the double header in the Indian Premier League on Friday sees the Kings XI Punjab returning to their natural home in Mohali when they host the defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad in the late game.
With the Sunrisers sitting in third going into a busy weekend of IPL action and the Punjab side just outside the top four this is a match which could have big implications in the race for the playoffs. Sunrisers won by five runs when the two sides met in Hyderabad and that suggests this could be close.
Kings XI Punjab
The Kings XI ended a run of four matches without a win in their last game which was as far ago as last Sunday and that came at a good time. Had they gone into their lengthy break off the back of five successive defeats it would have been easy to panic and possibly hard to get going for the second half of their season.
Although it should be said that win was only against a Gujarat Lions side who offered little in the grand scheme of things it was important that they were able to defend a total as their bowlers had been under pressure in the tournament until that point. It remains to be seen whether that was a one-off or a sign of things to come.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
The Sunrisers seem to have issues on the road this season and they will need to sort them out if they are to retain their title. The best thing for them in that regard is that they have an immediate chance to put those struggles to bed and pick up two points which will significantly boost their chances of making the playoffs.
If they are to go all the way then their top order will need to find their best form once again. Although they have scored runs recently they haven’t looked convincing and sometimes in this tournament it is as much about how you look as how you perform in terms of transferring pressure onto the opposition.
Team News
Darren Sammy has finally arrived at the party for the Kings XI Punjab and he could easily come into the side for Marcus Stoinis who has offered little to date in the competition.
Sunrisers could be without Yuvraj Singh which isn’t ideal. He has been suffering from illness and it remains to be seen if he is fit. Ashish Nehra could come back into the side. Mustafizur Rahman is available.
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Betting
This match could go either way in my eyes. I say that because the Kings XI are improving and the Sunrisers have this terrible away record at the minute and the longer they fail to win on the road the more of an issue it will become.
That said the bet I like the best in this match comes in the sixes market where the line looks a shade too high to me at 11.5. Obviously if we were in Indore for this match it would be different but we’ve moved from there to Mohali for this one and this is a much bigger ground than the one in Indore.
In the last four seasons Kings XI Punjab have played 20 matches on this ground and only three of them have contained more than 11.5 sixes and two of them had once in a lifetime innings in them. Given the quality of the bowling attacks on show here I think we can largely rule out such an innings so with that in mind I’m happy to be on the side of history and take the unders.
Tips
WON – Back Under 11.5 sixes for a 5/10 stake at 2.00 with Betfair
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