The weekend is over which means that we are down to one match per day again in the Indian Premier League with Monday’s offering coming from Mohali as the Kings XI Punjab host the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
This match offers two of the teams on the logjam of six points the chance to escape and propel themselves up the table so we should be in for quite an entertaining, competitive and interesting clash to begin the week with.
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Kings XI Punjab
Although they have made a fine start to their campaign with three wins from their opening five matches, the Kings XI Punjab head into this encounter off the back of a difficult defeat to the Chennai Super Kings on Saturday. It was difficult in terms of the toughness of the run chase and also the brutal temperatures that they played in so this could become a bit of a test physically.
Saturday was the first time the Punjab batting looked unconvincing. We should counter that by highlighting that the pitch in Chepauk is rotten to the core but even allowing for that I did expect slightly better for the Kings XI. They should do much better here on a pitch renowned for being great to bat on so then it will be over to their bowlers to see if they can deliver the goods. There is no hiding the fact that their death bowling is a concern.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Just the their opponents in this match, the Sunrisers Hyderabad have won three of their first five matches with their defeats coming in the opening game and the last match at the weekend. In that defeat to the Mumbai Indians on Saturday, we saw the concern I have had for them for a long while exposed. Their middle order does not have the form, and dare I say it the genuine quality, needed to bail them out should their openers fail.
To be fair to them, their openers do not fail very often but it is becoming more obvious how they are set up to struggle beyond them so it will be interesting to see how the top two cope with the mounting pressure on them. If there is a consolation then it comes in the form of their bowling attack beginning to return to the form we know they have in their locker.
Team News
One wonders if Kings XI Punjab will make changes to their side after the humid conditions they played in on Saturday. Mujeeb Ur Rahman is waiting in the wings to come in should the home side decide to change.
Sunrisers Hyderabad have had this issue with their middle order for a while and haven’t done anything about it. Kane Williamson could come in for Mohammad Nabi if fit but the Afghanistan all-rounder has been a vital cog in the bowling wheel.
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Betting
Although I’ve banged on about Sunrisers and their middle order this season I don’t actually think it is as much of a concern this time around because the Kings XI’s death bowling has been ridiculous for far too long and I don’t see that changing here. That makes me think that the over 328.5 runs is worth a go but we’ve seen some weird run chases in the last few days and the Sunrisers’ bowling is coming good again.
There is one bet that I like though and that is the run line for Sarfaraz Khan which looks very low at 18.5. His scores this term have been 46*, 13, DNB, 39 and 67 and in his one outing against the Sunrisers last year he made an unbeaten 22 so there is a lot to like about him here. The 13 he made was against Kolkata when the Kings XI were chasing well over 200 and had to throw the bat at everything. I expect him to have a bit longer to get himself in here and on a good batting deck I see him getting to 19 given that the Hyderabad spinners aren’t likely to get much from this surface.
Tips
VOID – Back S.Khan – Over 18.5 runs for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with Betway
Back him here:
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