Cricket betting tips: IPL – Lucknow Super Giants v Punjab Kings preview and best bets
Richard Mann has a couple of bets to consider in his preview of Saturday's IPL contest between Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings.
Cricket betting tips: Lucknow Super Giants v Punjab Kings
1pt Marcus Stoinis to be Man of the Match at 14/1 (General)
1pt Sikandar Raza to be Man of the Match at 18/1 (bet365)
Saturday’s game in the IPL sees Lucknow Super Giants host Punjab Kings, starting at 2:00pm UK time.
LSG lost their opening match to Rajasthan Royals and though winning first time up against Delhi Capitals, Punjab were then beaten by Royal Challengers Bengaluru, meaning this match has already taken on plenty of significance.
My expectations of Punjab are pretty low this season, but they did win the corresponding fixture by two wickets last year, when SIKANDAR RAZA played a starring role, and I’m going to chance him in the Man of the Match market again at 18/1.
Raza has started the season on the bench, and that may well be the case again, meaning stakes returned, but I can’t let him go unbacked given he took down LSG with a brutal 57 from only 41 balls last term, having earlier picked up a wicket with his handy off spin.
I would have Raza is this Punjab starting XI, with far too much faith currently being placed on the franchise’s big-money English recruits, his explosive middle-order batting such an asset in this format.
As much as his batting, I think Raza’s bowling could cause problems for LSG who I don’t believe play right arm off spin particularly well, as demonstrated when Moeen Ali claimed six wickets against them in two meetings last term.
The first matche saw Moeen pick up four wickets and the Man of the Match award, while he would have likely done so in the reverse fixture had rain not washed out the match with Moeen having taken 2-13 from his four overs as LGS laboured towards a modest score.
CLICK HERE to back Raza with Sky Bet
Sticking with the Man of the Match market, I can’t resist having a few quid on MARCUS STOINIS who might just feel like he has a point to prove having lost his Australia central contract in the last week.
Stoinis need not worry about that sort of thing with LSG who have invested heavily in their hard-hitting all-rounder, and they were handsomely rewarded last year as he finished the season as their leading runscorer with 408 runs.
Stoinis also delivered a few canny spells with the ball when conditions allowed, ensuring he remained one of LSG’s most important performers.
That was also borne out in the Match of the Match award, with Stoinis landing the prize three times from 15 matches, in addition to blasting 40 from only 25 balls when very nearly winning on another occasion.
I’ll take the ripping Australia to do the business again at generous odds of 14/1.
CLICK HERE to back Stoinis with Sky Bet
Preview published at 1400 GMT on 29/03/24
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