There is one last Indian Premier League match before the weekend and it comes on Friday afternoon as the two worst sides from last season meet in a game where one of them will be able to banish the memories of 12 months ago and build a platform for a better campaign this time around.
Delhi Daredevils were seventh last season with the Kings XI propping up the table and neither will want to be in those positions this time around so this is already a big game for both sides especially after both suffered hefty defeats in their opening game.
Delhi Daredevils
The Daredevils made a real pig’s ear of things in their opening match against Kolkata Knight Riders. They got their team selection wrong on a wicket they completely misjudged and that misjudgement continued with the bat when they were hell for leather from the off and were skittled for less than 100.
Clearly they need to assess conditions much better in this match but they could do with balancing their side a little better too. While he performed magic for the West Indies in the T20 World Cup final, Carlos Brathwaite at six isn’t ideal.
Kings XI Punjab
It looked like the Kings XI were rollicking along in their opening match against the Gujarat Lions but then they collapsed with the bat and never looked like having enough with the ball which will have been a disappointment to them.
It is hard to see what they can do with the ball apart from bringing Kyle Abbott into the side but how he gets in remains to be seen. One thing we can be sure of is that they need their power hitters to come to the party to protect their bowling attack.
Team news
It looks like it is going to be all change in the overseas department for Delhi in this match. It needs to be in fairness. Imran Tahir must play. He’s likely to replace the ineffective Nathan Coulter-Nile. JP Duminy looks set to miss out again so the million dollar man Chris Morris might get another go.
Kings XI don’t have as many options in their side but there is talk that Farhaan Behardien could come into the team. You would think that would be for Marcus Stoinis as leaving out Glenn Maxwell or Mitchell Johnson is unlikely.
Form
Delhi Daredevils: L
Kings XI Punjab: L
Head to head: Delhi Daredevils 7-9 Kings XI Punjab
In Delhi: Delhi Daredevils 3-4 Kings XI Punjab
Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium
We saw the Feroz Shah Kotla a lot in the recent T20 World Cup and the wickets were tougher to bat on than they were elsewhere in the tournament. Scores were generally in the mid-range number and although the wicket didn’t turn square there was help for the spinners.
This is the first match here in this tournament and with Delhi having a number of spin options you would think there will be some assistance for the tweakers in this match but I would be surprised if it is a batting minefield.
Betting
I’m going with a couple of bets in this match. Firstly I’m going to take the Delhi Daredevils to win. Home conditions should be an advantage and their bowling attack looks much better suited to this ground than the Kings XI one and I can’t possibly believe they will bat as badly again as they did in Kolkata.
I’m expecting Delhi to have a much better plan in conditions that they know. Rahul Dravid will have made sure that they put the Kolkata game to bed and formulate a much stronger way of going about things here and if they bowl well and keep Miller and Maxwell quiet I’m expecting Delhi to win here.
I’m also going to take advantage of Mayank Agarwal and his extremely low runs line. The line is at 13.5 and while you couldn’t argue that he is in any form at all in the two matches he played against the Kings XI last season he made scores of 68 and 52* so this is an opponent he enjoys facing.
There hasn’t been many changes to the Kings XI bowling attack in that time so he should be comfortable facing them here. With Quinton de Kock going bonkers at the other end Agarwal can play himself in and knock a few runs around and by the time he needs to crack on with it he should be safely past 13.5 runs.
Tips
WON – Back Delhi Daredevils to beat Kings XI Punjab for a 4/10 stake at 2.10 with 188bet
Back them here:
Back M.Agarwal – Over 13.5 runs for a 4/10 stake at 1.85 with Coral
Back him here:
