We move into April with one match in the Indian Premier League on the opening day of the month as the IPL 2024 season heads to the Wankhede Stadium for the first time this term for the match between the Mumbai Indians and the Rajasthan Royals.
Mumbai have done their traditional trick of starting the season slowly with a couple of losses to their name. Rajasthan have a pair of wins and will be looking to build on that and move to the top of the table with another success here.
Mumbai Indians
The Mumbai Indians are used to starting slowly but they are not so accustomed to conceding a record breaking score like they did in their previous match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. That was a bad bowling effort but it probably wouldn’t have been as important had they got over the line in their opening game against the Gujarat Titans. They were in a decent position in that one at various points but let it slip and now they face the prospect of potentially losing their opening three matches.
Mumbai are missing their X-Factor batter Suryakumar Yadav with injury and that leaves them a little exposed in the middle order but there is still more than enough in that department to get the job done. The big problem that they have had so far is that outside of Jasprit Bumrah their bowlers have gone around the park and they need to sort that issue out because their home games are high scoring enough because of the dimensions of the venue without bad bowling contributing to things.
Rajasthan Royals
The Rajasthan Royals have started their campaign in fine order. They needed to do that because of the way the Indian elections are planned they have a lot of home matches in the earlier stage of their season so it was absolutely imperative that they got off to a quick start to avoid having to play catch up when a significant period of travelling comes along later in the competition. If they can make it three wins from three here then they would be in a very good place.
The interesting thing about the two Royals wins so far is that they have both been won when setting a score. With the Impact Player rule there is usually a premium on batting second as you can load your side with depth so for Rajasthan to be able to defend a couple of totals must bode well for them. They have a good balance with the ball and can control innings in all three facets which will take pressure off their batting, especially when they go on their travels.
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Key Players
Rohit Sharma has threatened to break out on a couple of occasions this season but hasn’t really been able to go on and deliver the standout score that we know he has in his locker. Here would be a good time to deliver it.
Riyan Parag is becoming an important player in the middle order for the Rajasthan Royals and it was his late blitz against the Delhi Capitals which got them up to a score which they were ultimately able to defend. Similar fireworks here would be welcome.
Betting
If I was forced to pick a winner in this match then I would choose the Rajasthan Royals but I never like being on anyone on this ground until we know who is chasing because this venue is near enough impossible to defend as we have seen in the past. I certainly couldn’t be backing the Mumbai Indians either way after they conceded an IPL record score in the previous game. They did give chasing it down a good go though so I’m expecting a high scoring game.
That obviously brings us to the sixes market where a line of 17.5 looks on the low side to me. Mumbai Indians have just conceded 18 sixes on a much bigger Hyderabad ground than this one but to their credit they smashed 20 themselves so you’ve got to think they will contribute strongly to a sixes total here. Rajasthan have the likes of Jaiswal, Buttler, Samson, Parag, Hetmyer and Ashwin who can all clear the ropes and potentially Rovman Powell as well. That is more than enough for me to think this 17.5 sixes line gets covered.
Tips
Back Over 17.5 sixes for a 3/10 stake at 1.85 with Betway
