We have another double header of action in the Indian Premier League on Sunday and it starts out in Dubai where the Sunrisers Hyderabad take on the Rajasthan Royals in a match where the two points will mean plenty to whoever gets them.
Both teams now sit outside the top four heading into this match and are in danger of getting cut adrift if they are unable to come out in front on this match so this might be one of the biggest matches of the campaign so far.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
The Sunrisers Hyderabad have won three and lost three this season which means they have won three of their last four because their beginning to the campaign was something to forget. Their only defeat in that time was against the Mumbai Indians which is anything but a disgrace so having taken their time to find their footing in the competition, they are building up a head of steam and will fancy their chances of winning this one too.
The struggles earlier in the season was largely down to their batting. It still relies a lot on their opening pair, so fortunately for them they are in good nick, but the likes of Kane Williamson and Manish Pandey are beginning to find enough that it isn’t all about them. With bowlers beginning to find form at the right time as well the Sunrisers are beginning to loom large as a side who could be a danger for this competition in the second half of the season.
Rajasthan Royals
The Rajasthan Royals flew out of the traps earlier in the season, winning their first two matches in high scoring shootouts but it has gone disastrously wrong since then and in their last three outings they haven’t even been competitive. That is the thing that will disappoint them the most and that is something they are going to have to get back to at the very least. It might even be too late for that because if they lose here and are reduced to two wins from seven matches it is a long way back from there.
The big problem has been the batting which just hasn’t got going at any stage in those matches so it will be something of a godsend for the Royals that Ben Stokes has completed his quarantine period. He might be rusty having not played since the opening Test of the English summer three months ago but he is likely to be sent straight in to strengthen the batting and offer something else with the ball. Rajasthan will be hoping that Stokes can inspire a big performance.
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Key Men
Jonny Bairstow will know all about Jofra Archer and if he can come out on top in their duel up front it will give the Sunrisers Hyderabad a footing in the contest and a platform from which to build a daunting total from.
Rajasthan Royals are putting all their eggs in the Ben Stokes basket. He hasn’t done much wrong in the last 18 months or it isn’t a bad horse to back but there is going to be pressure on the Englishman to deliver the goods immediately.
Betting
I’m not expecting a high scoring match here. I wouldn’t have been anyway because the Rajasthan Royals batting has gone absent without leave but these day matches tend to be much lower scoring than the other matches on these grounds and I’m not convinced that is a coincidence. Bowlers will have more control without the dew and the heat and humidity is going to dry the pitch out and slow it right up so I certainly expect that trend to continue.
The bet I like here is under 38.5 boundaries. This match is going to be on the same pitch that the Royal Challengers Bangalore met the Chennai Super Kings on and boundaries were hard to hit in that match. There were only 28 in that contest so another 10 feels unlikely here especially if there is some early wickets around to bring these relatively inactive or out of form middle order players into play. In an ideal world we’d be backing this line in Abu Dhabi but I think we’ll be fine here too.
Tips
WON – Back Under 38.5 boundaries for a 3/10 stake at 1.83 with William Hill
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