INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE: Our cricket tipster The Edge previews Friday’s IPL game between Kings XI Punjab v Rajasthan Royals with a recommended BETDAQ bet.


The Edge has been a professional cricket trader for over 12 years, and we are delighted to have his columns on BETDAQ Tips. He provides his best bets on a points scale between 1 and 5, with 5 being a rare max bet.

Because we see so much action in-running on cricket, he will also provide some in-running strategies that could develop in-play and lead to some excellent value bets. The Edge covers all forms of cricket: Test Matches, ODI’s and T20’s but his favourite competition is the Indian Premier League each season.


MATCH OVERVIEW:

What a massive fixture! We’re coming to the end of the Indian Premier League for 2020 and the table is perfectly poised as we head into the final double header weekend. The stakes couldn’t be higher for these two teams, and we should have an absolute cracker!

Punjab have shot up the table with five straight wins since the arrival of Chris Gayle, and they have the advantage as they sit in fourth heading into this fixture. There is a chance that they could actually finish in second or third given the run Delhi have been on recently. Nobody would have believed that a few weeks ago. They are full of confidence and playing some good cricket, they have the momentum.

It hasn’t been a good tournament for Rajasthan, but Ben Stokes has given them a chance. It is only a small chance, but a chance nonetheless. They currently sit in the second last, and their net run rate is poor too – however the fixture list has given them hope. Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders both have 12 points and are ahead of Rajasthan, but Rajasthan play both in their final two games. Of course, they need help from others – but two wins would put them into the mix, and all they can do is “ask the question,” as they say.


WEATHER AND PITCH WATCH:

RCB scored 164/6 here on Wednesday; however they were going better than that before a collapse. They could have scored 180+ if AB de Villiers fired, as it was he exited on 131 after 15.2 overs. Prior to that Rajasthan chased down Mumbai Indians 195/5 with an incredible 100 not out from Ben Stokes. I thought the Abu Dhabi pitch was slowing up, but I feel that 165ish might not be enough here. However, you’d assume Rajasthan need Ben Stokes to bat well, and the others haven’t fired this season. Thankfully we’re set fair with the weather.


RECOMMENDED BET:

We’ve landed a nice few bets in recent weeks with Punjab’s turn in fortunes, and I think we can land another winning bet with them here. Apart from Ben Stokes, Rajasthan just haven’t been up to the standard required in this IPL. The fixture list has given them a chance of getting a top four finish and playoff spot, but the reality is they sit second last and haven’t batted, or bowled, well enough. Smith hasn’t performed, and the bowlers have let them down apart from Archer. Punjab are full of confidence and with their batters in-form, I like them at 1.86.

The Edge Says:
Two points win Kings XI Punjab to beat Rajasthan Royals at 1.86 with BETDAQ Exchange.

View the market here -> http://bit.ly/BDQKinRaj


IN-RUNNING STRATEGY:

This could be a superb game for trading on BETDAQ Betting Exchange. There’s a lot of wickets that are worth a huge amount of ticks. Ben Stokes, Steven Smith, Chris Gayle and KL Rahul are all players that can decide the game here. Personally of the four, I would be keen to be against Smith as he hasn’t performed in this IPL. But I wouldn’t be keen to be against the other three, and I’d side with them rather than against them. Stokes always tends to need a few games under his belt, and the signs are that he’s in good form now.

Rahul has been excellent for most of the tournament, and Gayle recorded another match winning 50 the other day. He has given the bowlers the cushion they needed with his fast scoring, and he can win the game on his own again. I would be keen to be against both lower orders, especially Rajasthan who haven’t been good at all. While the Rajasthan bowling outside Archer offers a trading opportunity too; they haven’t been great.


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