For one of the two sides in action in the Indian Premier League on Friday the clash is a huge match but for the other it is the beginning of a pre-season at the end of an ongoing season. The game in question sees the Royal Challengers Bangalore hosting the Kings XI Punjab at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Even this early in the campaign the Royal Challengers know they can’t make it into the knockout stage of the tournament but the Kings XI Punjab very much can although they need to get winning to do that.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
It really has been a season to forget for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. If it has been able to go wrong this season then it has done for the beaten finalists of last season but that has only been part of the problem. A lot of their issues this season have been brought upon themselves and they will need to learn ahead of next season.
One of the issues they haven’t had under control is a settled batting line up. Admittedly nothing they have tried has worked but chopping and changing all of the time is rarely the way forward. As players have come and gone it has meant the other combinations in the side have had to alternate too hence their poor form.
Kings XI Punjab
Consistency has been a big thing for the Kings XI this season and they haven’t been able to find enough of it to be right in the mix for a playoff spot but generally when they have needed a win they have been able to claim it which will continue to offer them hope. They go in search of a double over Bangalore this season.
When the Punjab side have struggled it has generally been with the ball. Poor batting performances have been few and far between although neither of those are a surprise because they pack their team with overseas star batsmen who should deliver. They really need their Indian bowlers to be good for the next two weeks.
Team News
We are reduced to guessing which line up and order Bangalore will go in with. Chris Gayle sat out the last match to minimal effect so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he comes back in, perhaps for Travis Head.
Kings XI will be without Eoin Morgan for the rest of the tournament as he has gone back to represent England in ODI cricket. He wasn’t a guaranteed starter anyway.
[the_ad_group id=”3624″]
Betting
I can’t work out why the Royal Challengers Bangalore are the favourites in this match. They have been terrible throughout the tournament and you wouldn’t think much is going to change in this match. That said there is something about betting on this ground that stops me backing the Kings XI Punjab so I’ll go to the side markets for a bet here.
I will go with the Kings XI in the side markets though and the one I like is for their sixes where the line looks on the low side at 6.5. Admittedly this wicket hasn’t played as true as it has done in previous seasons but we’ve not had a match here since last Thursday so the wicket should play better now.
The last time we saw cricket on this ground Aaron Finch tucked into the Royal Challengers’ bowling and I expect he likes of Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Martin Guptill and Manan Vohra to do likewise in this match. Unless Bangalore bat first and get shot out for nothing I expect this line to be covered especially with the Kings XI likely to show extra intent in a bid to improve their net run rate.
I’ll chance my arm in the top batsman market too where Pawan Negi looks overpriced for the home side. He is 25/1 to top score and when these two met earlier in the season Bangalore made a pig’s ear of batting first and only AB de Villiers got going. If they repeat that Negi would be in the game. He has shown decent form with the bat a couple of times when Bangalore have collapsed so at 28/1 he offers decent value.
Tips
Back Kings XI Punjab – Over 6.5 sixes for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with Paddy Power
Back it here:
Back P.Negi Top Royal Challengers Bangalore Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 29.00 with 188bet
Back him here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2017
