The second set of matches in the Indian Premier League season begins on Wednesday when the Royal Challengers Bangalore take on the Kolkata Knight Riders at the DY Patil Stadium with both sides looking for valuable earlier season points.
The Royal Challengers lost their opening match of the season whereas the Knight Riders came out on top in theirs so there is a chance for Kolkata, the beaten finalists last term, to extract a bit of an advantage over a potential rival here.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
I had concerns over the bowling department of the Royal Challengers Bangalore in their opening match and those concerns came home to roost as they were put to the sword by the Kings XI Punjab. They particularly struggled at the death of the innings and while we should cut them an ounce of slack because they bowled when the dew was coming down, we shouldn’t forget that this isn’t a new struggle for them. It really is something which has regularly let them down.
The other thing they would like to do is begin their batting innings better. It took the opening pair a little time to get going but when they did they soon transitioned into something special but in what looks like it is going to be a high scoring tournament I think teams are really going to need to get going in the powerplay and take advantage of it. Royal Challengers Bangalore do still have key players to arrive in their squad which will make a difference but they have room for improvement until then.
Kolkata Knight Riders
The Kolkata Knight Riders extracted revenge on the Chennai Super Kings for their loss in the final last season in their opening match on Saturday and now they have the chance to put themselves in a really strong position in the early league table with a second win in succession. You get the impression that momentum is going to be a big thing in what has the feeling of being a relentless campaign this term so teams who can hit the ground running can break the back of the season early doors.
There was a lot to like about the Knight Riders in that opening match as well. They went hard with the new ball and had Chennai in all sorts of trouble and then they were able to restrict them to a total which their batters got to with the minimum of fuss. That was a performance which was a laying down a marker sort of display. Their task now is to continue to perform to that level and if they are able to do that this could be another good season for the Knight Riders.
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Key Players
Royal Challengers Bangalore need their death bowling to come to the party so you sense that Harshal Patel is going to be a big player for them here. He will know if he and his fellow bowlers get it wrong then the likes of Andre Russell could punish them.
Sunil Narine was effective without picking up a wicket in the opening match but he only went for 15 runs and if he has a similar economy here he will force the Bangalore batters to have to take risks against one of the other bowlers.
Betting
I think we’re in for quite a few sixes in this match. The first match on this ground had 27 of them and while the season opener between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders was surprisingly low that was a weird game where it felt like so many players needed the run. I expect the Knight Riders to be a lot more fluent with the bat in this match, especially on a wicket which is certainly offering up no demons if that first game here was anything to go by.
The other reason why I expect Kolkata to deliver the goods on a number of sixes here is because neither of their West Indian pair got to the crease in the first game. I don’t believe that will happen too often. Bangalore went bonkers with sixes in the opening game and with their bowling attack you sense they will need to continue to go hard with the bat. The sixes line here is 15.5 and I like the over on a pretty small ground.
Tips
Back Over 15.5 sixes for a 3/10 stake at 1.91 with Betfair
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