Both of these fixtures are a must-win for all sides for different reasons. Three teams are desperate to clinch play-off places, while Rajasthan are bidding to secure the top spot on the ladder.
The Royals may already be qualified, having been superb in much of this competition. But they have lost their last two games. With three group games to play, they will want to get back on the horse, recapture valuable momentum and keep alive their hopes of finishing top of the table for home advantage.
The race for the top four currently sees Chennai in fourth on 12 points and Delhi in fifth on 12 courtesy of an inferior net run rate. Bangalore are seventh on 10 points.
I see Rajasthan bouncing back to win the morning game, and they are 1/1 with Paddy Power to win against a Chennai side that has lost two of its last three, including yesterday against a Gujarat side that was bottom of the table before a ball was bowled.
In the second game, I’m backing Bangalore to win. But I won’t take the 3/4 offered for an outright win.
Instead, I’d suggest trying the double - Rajasthan and Bangalore to win is 5/2 with Paddy Power.
Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan bowler Trent Boult is Evens with bet365 to top the 20.5 points in their player performance market. The New Zealand quick has achieved that feat in two of his last four matches, missing out by half a point in another outing. It is 20 points per wicket, 10 per catch and one per run.
I also think he’s worth siding with a 9/4 to take two wickets - on offer via Ladbrokes’ Price Boost section.
The same firm has a 10/1 long shot, which is worth a couple of quid for Royals fans - Yashasvi Jaiswal to score a fifty, Jos Buttler to hit a six, and Boult to take two wickets.
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Capitals
This is a crunch clash between two in-form sides and arguably the best of the day. Bangalore have won their last four fixtures, and Delhi have won three of their last four outings.
Let me take you back to the start of the tournament. I said Bangalore was a dark horse for this title and I certainly expected them to make the play-offs. But they had a shocking start, winning one of their first eight fixtures.
In winning their last four, they have displayed the kind of quality I was expecting. But is it too late? Probably.
As mentioned, I think they’ll win this, out-gunning Delhi in a high-scoring contest.
There are two Ladbrokes Price Boosts which I’d be considering, and they are the same bet but for different players.
First, they are offering 15/8 on Virat Kohli to score a fifty. The Bangalore star opener is the competition’s leading run-scorer with 654, five fifties, and a hundred in 12 appearances so far.
The second, Delhi opener Jake Fraser-McGurk to do the same at 11/4. He has hit four fifties in seven outings, totalling 309 runs. The Aussie’s form is almost as good as Kohli’s considering the amount of matches played.
I’m also not quite sure why Delhi seamer Mukesh Kumar is as juicy as 18/5 with Betfred to be Delhi’s top bowler in this match. He is their leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 15 scalps, yet several teammates are shorter priced than him in this market.
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