SUNDAY IPL: Our cricket tipster The Edge previews Sunday’s IPL double header with the games between hennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore v Mumbai Indians both with a recommended BETDAQ bet.


IPL Game 38 Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders

MATCH OVERVIEW:

We’re all set for another massive double header in the Indian Premier League on Sunday on BETDAQ Betting Exchange! We start the day with Chennai Super Kings taking on the Kolkata Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi. CSK got off to a winning start to their stint in the UAE with a very impressive win against Mumbai Indians in Dubai, and after this game they will have experienced all three venues in the UAE. They performed very poorly in the UAE last season, and it was very positive to see how well their bowlers did against Mumbai Indians in their opening game.

Kolkata Knight Riders played at this venue a lot this season; they haven’t had much success recently however and they came to the UAE on the backfoot after a poor start in India. They played their first game in the UAE stint against Royal Challengers Bangalore here on Monday and won very impressively, and then they were even more impressive against Mumbai Indians here too. They really need Eoin Morgan to fire but he just isn’t as consistent as they need him to be. I would suggest conditions should suit Andre Russell a little more than the tricky wickets in India, and he can fire them to some big scores. It will also be interesting to see how they use Narine with the bat during the tournament. They have started the UAE stint in red-hot form, but let’s see can they deal with an in-form CSK side.


WEATHER AND PITCH WATCH:

Although we’ve had a few games here now, I would take the night games with a pitch of salt heading into another day game here. The good news is we also had a day game on Saturday, so we can learn something from those scores. We had some good scoring so far in the UAE but at the moment I’d be leaning towards thinking the pitches aren’t as good as last season. It’s early in the tournament here, so let’s wait and see. If I won the toss, I’d definitely bat first and make best use of conditions – it will be tough for the bowlers during the day.


RECOMMENDED BET:

This is a fascinating game. How could you not be impressed with both sides in their UAE games thus far? I know CSK have been playing very well this season going right back to India, and we expected them to play solid cricket because they have a good squad. I didn’t think conditions would suit them in the UAE, but they have started strongly. Not as strongly as KKR however, who have bowled and batted superbly. This is all about the odds here and I’m siding with KKR at 2.22. I just feel those odds are too big for a side in great form in what should be a very close game. CSK have more talent and a better squad, but KKR arrive in superb form and love this ground – I make it a 50/50 game.

The Edge Says:
Two points win Kolkata Knight Riders to beat Chennai Super Kings at 2.22 with BETDAQ Betting Exchange

View the market here -> https://bit.ly/BDQCheKol


IN-RUNNING STRATEGY:

The early game on Saturday hasn’t finished as I write this preview; but I would take a lot of learning from that game here. Get a feel for conditions and build a strategy around that. I have to say I feel KKR offer a lot of value at 2.22 at the moment because they have bowled and batted superbly well, so I wouldn’t mind supporting them with bat and ball. I feel the side batting first might have s slight edge because it will be tough work for the bowlers in the heat, and they might also get the best use of the batting conditions. I would lean towards supporting CSK too if they batted first, just smaller stakes than if it was KKR. The KKR top order look very confident too, and although it’s usually their middle order that wins the game, I’d be happy to support the top three.


IPL Game 39 Royal Challengers Bangalore v Mumbai Indians

MATCH OVERVIEW:

Next we move to Dubai and we have a huge game between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians. In the early game today we had two winning sides who were full of confidence, while here we have two sides who have lost their two games thus far in the UAE and really need to turn things around. We all know what RCB can be like – they rely on the big three of Kohli, Maxwell and de Villiers firing otherwise they really struggle with the bat, but I don’t understand what’s going on with Mumbai Indians. They have the best team on paper, they just aren’t putting it all together this season.

I felt the conditions in the UAE would suit Mumbai more and felt they would go on a winning run after a slow start in India but they have been well beaten in their two games. They lost by 20 runs against CSK which is a lot for them and then KKR chasing down their 155/6 in 15/1 overs which is a heavy defeat. I don’t think their bowlers have ever been taken for that many runs so quickly in similar conditions. These two sides obviously have a lot of issues to work through – both seemingly have issues in both departments too, with the bat and ball. Things change very quickly in the IPL, and the loser here will be on the backfoot looking at the table. RCB have more room than Mumbai Indians who have only won four games from nine so far.


WEATHER AND PITCH WATCH:

This will be the fourth game in Dubai and we have had a range of scores thus far. It’s actually been hard to get a read on conditions. CSK scored 156/6 in the first game and defended it very well against Mumbai Indians, then Rajasthan Royals scored 185 all out and Punjab Kings came up just short with 183/4, and finally Sunrisers Hyderabad only managed 134/9 against Delhi Capitals. I’m happy to ignore the last game as Hyderabad have been very poor this season and are now without Jonny Bairstow too. I would expect 165/170 to be par, a little higher if there’s a heavy dew.


RECOMMENDED BET:

In my opinion this is definitely a game for small stakes given both sides are struggling so much. They have the talent to turn things around very quickly, but can they deliver? In the earlier game I was happy to back KKR because I felt the game was very close to 50/50 and we were getting 2.22 – similar thoughts apply here and I’m happy to back RCB at 2.14 or bigger. Both sides have issues with their batting and bowling at the moment, but Mumbai Indians looked all over the place with their bowling the last day and Maxwell or de Villiers can really take advantage of that here.

The Edge Says:
One point win Royal Challengers Bangalore to beat Mumbai Indians at 2.14 with BETDAQ Betting Exchange

View the market here -> https://bit.ly/BDQRoyMub


IN-RUNNING STRATEGY:

Once again very similar thoughts apply here to the pre-off betting. I’m happy to keep stakes to a minimum given both sides have been in poor form. I haven’t got a good read on the wicket in Dubai either, so I can’t say whether it’s an edge to bat first or second – long-term would suggest bat first by the way. And then neither side has been batting or bowling well, so how can you trust either side? Perhaps if RCB get going and get themselves into a strong position heading into the final five overs you’d want to get against the Mumbai Indians bowling which has been very poor here but other than that you’d want to keep stakes small here.