Cricket betting tips: IPL – Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad preview and best bets
Richard Mann has three bets lined up for Friday's IPL Qualifier 2 between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai.
Cricket betting tips: Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
2pts Rajasthan Royals to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad at 11/10 (Betway)
2pts Riyan Parag top Rajasthan Royals batsman at 9/2 (Betfred)
2pts Thangarasu Natarajan top Sunrisers Hyderabad bowler at 100/30 (Betfair Sportsbook, Paddy Power)
The end is nigh.
After 72 matches, we are only one game away from the final of IPL2024, RAJASTHAN ROYALS and Sunrisers Hyderabad renewing hostilities in Chennai on Friday afternoon with the winner's reward another crack at Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday.
The psychology of this match makes it even more fascinating. The Royals went into the playoffs with their confidence shot having suffered a seemingly catastrophic loss of form which saw them surrender one of those priceless top two finishing positions in the league table. Sunrisers, thanks to a late surge, grabbed that second spot and appeared to have all the momentum.
However, the Royals showed just what a quality outfit they are with a four-wicket defeat of a previously rampant Royals Challengers Bengaluru on Wednesday, while Sunrisers were firmly put in their place by KKR. While the Royals’ outstanding bowling attack shone, Sunrisers once again lacked firepower with the ball.
Royals bank on spin in Chennai
And that’s where the switch to Chennai on Friday promises to suit the Royals. While this pitch, re-laid for this season, has played a little better than in previous years, it has still displayed those Chennai traits of old, with spin generally proving a significant factor.
That gives the Royals the edge. Their well-rounded attack is led by Trent Boult who remains a constant threat with the new ball, and he is joined by India spinners Ravi Ashwin and Yuzi Chahal. The latter has enjoyed another fine IPL campaign, while the former was Man of the Match against RCB on Wednesday.
Though experienced heads Thangarasu Natarajan and Pat Cummins have been largely reliable, Sunrisers have missed an out-and-out strike bowler like a Chahal or a Boult, and I think the respective quality of both attacks could prove the decisive factor on a pitch that might offer plenty for the spinners.
Against KKR, Sunrisers only picked up two wickets, conceding 164 runs in 13.4 overs. Captains Cummins had no quality spin to turn to and Natarajan apart, no way to stem the flow of runs. Despite their late-season wobble, the Royals bowling has remained largely solid in spite of what has been a bumper year for the batters.
With Jos Buttler back in England, the Royals batting has taken a hit, but in Riyan Parag and Sanju Samson, they have two men in their top four averaging over fifty this term, a proven finisher in Shimron Hetmyer, and an opener in Yashasvi Jaiswal who might be one of the most exciting players in world cricket.
Sunrisers batting set for acid test
That’s not to say the Royals can confidently claim to have the stronger batting line-up here. Sunrisers have registered scores of 287-3, 277-3, 266-7 and 167-0 in only 9.4 overs this year to confirm they are very, very good on their day, but such days have been mixed with some poor ones, too.
To that end, I do think conditions are really important to the likes of Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen, and if there is a bit in this Chennai pitch, as we expect there to be, that Sunrisers batting line-up won’t have things all their own way against such a fine, well-balanced Royals attack.
With all that in mind, the Royals rate a bet at 11/10.
Parag primed for another bold show
In the side markets, two stand out, starting with the aforementioned RIYAN PARAG for top Royals batsman.
The case is straightforward, with Pirag topping the Royals runs charts for the season – 567 and counting at 56.70 – and having made scores of 77, 27, 47 not out, 48 and 36 in his last five innings.
For good measure, that 77 came against the same Sunrisers attack he will face on Friday and with no Buttler to beat, the standout 9/2 (Betfred) looks knocking value, as does the general 4/1.
Another name already mentioned is THANGARASU NATARAJAN and I see no reason to oppose him in the top Sunrisers bowler market, with 100/30 (Betfair Sportsbook and Paddy Power) very fair.
Leading wicket-taker for Sunrisers this year, with 18 scalps compared to 16 for Cummins and only 11 for next best Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Natarajan has won this market the last twice, most recently by virtue of conceding fewer runs in a tie, the way Betfair Sportsbook and Paddy Power now settle this market.
With a better strike-rate than both Cummins and Kumar this season and having claimed 2-35 against the Royals earlier in the campaign, the left-arm paceman appears rock-solid and certainly worth a play at the prices.
As always with this market, be sure to double check how your chosen bookmaker settles if there is a tie on wickets taken. I’m opting for Betfair Sportsbook and Paddy Power here, in part because they are standout on price at the time of the writing, but also because Natarajan has a slightly better economy rate than his main market rivals.
I’d have him a far bit shorter than 100/30.
Preview published at 1225 BST on 23/05/24
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