There are two matches on the final day of group action in the IPL, the other between Sunrisers and Punjab. But we will be concentrating on the clash between two title contenders, Rajasthan and Kolkata.
Before a ball was bowled, I tipped Rajasthan for the title. That could still happen, of course, given they are assured of a top-four finish. But they have had a horrible run to erode confidence.
They have lost their last four matches to slip from top spot, and they could yet finish third if results go against them. That would be a nightmare given the top two teams get a second chance in the finals.
If things go well, RR v KKR will be a dress-rehearsal for Tuesday’s Qualifier 1 - a clash which will decide one of the finalists.
Discounting a rained off game last time out, Kolkata have won four on the trot to secure top spot in the table. So it’s difficult to go against them here, and I would be taking 10bet’s 5/6 on a win for them. I did think they’d be slightly shorter than that.
Va-va-Voom Varun
Kolkata spinner Varun Chakravarthy is having an excellent campaign. With 18 wickets, he is in the top three wicket-takers in the competition, at time of writing.
In his last four games, he has taken two three-wicket hauls and two two-fors.
With that in mind, bet365′s 6/4 on him to take two wickets in the match.
There is another bet on Chakravarthy’s success which I will give you in a moment, along the same lines.
But, first, betway’s 11/5 on a Kolkata win and there to be one or more run outs in the match is worth serious consideration.
I have just looked back at five IPL matches from Saturday through to Wednesday and there were eight run outs in that time. T20 generally involves such chaos with the need for quick runs, especially late in an innings.
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Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, of Kolkata and Rajasthan respectively, have returned home to begin preparations for the T20 World Cup next month. Salt hit 435 runs to Buttler’s 359.
If Rajasthan are going to turn things around, they will need some players to stand up. India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, for example, has had an inconsistent campaign.
Somerset Blast winner Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who is in his first IPL campaign having performed consistently at home and abroad in the various domestic leagues over the last few years, has taken Buttler’s place at the top of the order.
He debuted with 18 in defeat against Punjab earlier this week. And he is the type of player - packed with power - who could gain success in a flash.
I would be considering the 4/1 available with 10bet on him to top score for Rajasthan in this fixture. They need a hero to emerge, and it could be TKC.
Back to the aforementioned Chakravarthy to finish, and bet365′s 11/2 on the KKR man to take three wickets in this fixture is juicy.
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