After the dead rubber in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday we are back to do or die cricket in the tournament on Thursday when the playoff chasing Kings XI Punjab head to top spot hunters Mumbai Indians for a huge clash.
Given their net run rate Mumbai Indians will seal top spot with a win here but even taking run rate out of it they will definitely confirm a top two finish with a win. Kings XI have to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Lose and they’re done.
Mumbai Indians
A serene passage to the playoffs was halted slightly last time out when the Sunrisers Hyderabad got the better of the Mumbai Indians so a return to home surroundings may have come at the ideal time for the table toppers. I wouldn’t think they would have been too perturbed by their defeat in Hyderabad though.
They never really got going in any phase of the game against Hyderabad but in the main Mumbai have bowled well throughout the tournament and no side has scored more than 160 against them in their last six matches which is an incredible statistic. They still haven’t consistently fired as a batting unit which could be a concern though.
Kings XI Punjab
After giving themselves a mountain to climb to make the playoffs when they lost a match they should have won against the Gujarat Lions, Kings XI got the first of the three successive wins they need to have any chance when they held their nerve against the Kolkata Knight Riders last time out.
Their bowlers really came to the fore in that match and what was really impressive about that was Kolkata got away from them early on and yet the Kings XI were still able to bring them back. That bodes well for them in this match even though they will be under pressure. A few more runs with the bat would help.
Team News
Lasith Malinga has been given permission to stay with the side for the remainder of the tournament although with him going for 58 in the reverse meeting whether that is a good thing or not remains to be seen. Krunal Pandya is still missing it seems.
Kings XI Punjab are running light on options now so they may well name an unchanged side unless they want another seamer. Ishant Sharma or Varun Aaron could return should that be the case.
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Betting
This looks to be a really interesting match. I can make a case for either side in this one. If I was pushed I might well go with the Kings XI in this one as a value punt but I do see this as a 50/50 match so I think I’ll look elsewhere for my bet.
The sixes line for this one is at 12.5 which looks a little low on the face of it but only twice has that been covered here this season and that was when Mumbai played Kolkata and Gujarat, arguably the two strongest batting sides in the competition so maybe it is actually a touch high. The last three matches have had 11, 8 and 6 sixes here and with both sides bowling so well and Mumbai’s batting not collectively firing I’m not convinced they are going to flow in this match. Under 12.5 looks a reasonable bet to me.
I’m going to try Axar Patel to be the top Kings XI batsman again in this match. I was one wicket away from him coming in and chasing a tiny total in the last match and with the bowling attack that Mumbai have there is every chance that this time they will get down to him with the top score will in reach, that is if he doesn’t go up the order. At the same price I’ll take the same chance as before.
Tips
Back Under 12.5 sixes for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with Skybet
Back it here:
Back A.Patel Top Kings XI Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 26.00 with Coral
Back him here:
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