Thursday's ILT20 and SAT20 Tips: Emirates have chance to shine without fearing toss

• Play-off pressure in both the ILT20 and SAT20

• Emirates may be best side in competition

• No toss bias for chase in Abu Dhabi nights

• Paarl take on Sunrisers at Centurion

• Our Cheltenham offer is live! Get a completely free bet every weekend until the Festival

India v England First ODI Cricket Superboost

After a scintilating T20 series between India and England we now turn to the first ODI of the series between the two sides.

Ahead of this match the Betfair Sportsbook have super-boosted the price for Joe Root to hit 4+ boundaries off the bat with him having four boundaries and 60 runs in last ODI.

This has been boosted from 10/111.91 to 5/42.25. Just click on the odds in the below banner to go to the Sportsbook market.

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MI Emirates v Sharjah Warriors
Thursday 6 February, 14:30
TV: live on Zee

MI Emirates v Sharjah Warriors ILT20 tips

This is the eliminator with the winner going through to face the loser of Vipers-Capitals and Emirates will be relieved that in Abu Dhabi at night there is no evidence of a bias for the chaser to stop them asserting superiority.

It is the most important point to make about this game in a tournament which has been controlled by the side batting second that twenty-one of the last 41 have been won by the side chasing. That's not a bias. 

Emirates, then, are fair favourites at around the 1.855/6 mark. The clue to their ability is a net run rate mark of 0.8, which is the highest in the tournament. In a competition where it has been very hard to decipher the best from the worst because of the chase bias, that's not a bad metric. They also boast the highest batting run rate and the second-best bowling economy.

These two did meet at this venue last time out with Sharjah chasing down 173.  It was a day game, though. Emirates may well be good for busting a late 160s par line again as the track has the potential for big scores. More than 200 has been busted twice, one of those by Emirates when they loaded up for 228 for two against Vipers.

Tom Banton did the damage that day with 105 not out. Sportsbook make him second favourite at 4/15.00 behind Nic Pooran at 7/24.50 for top MI bat. We have an inkling for Dilshan Madushanka, an expert in this format, for top Sharjah bowler at 7/24.50. He is within the win zone for his career rate. 

Paarl Royals v Sunrisers Eastern Cape
Thursday 6 February, 15:30
TV: live on Sky Sports

Paarl Royals v Sunrisers Eastern Cape SAT20 tips

Royals, who were awaiting the winner of the eliminator between Joburg Super Kings and Sunrisers Eastern Cape on Wednesday afternoon, are smarting from defeat by MI Cape Town in the qualifier.

They have a point. They had Dewald Brevis out before he unleashed an onslaught which changed the course of the game. Brevis was given a reprieve when being caught from a ball above waist height. Most full tosses are above waist height when crouching down and batting way out of your crease. It was a ludicrous call.

Before the eliminator, in the last 13 day-nighters at this ground, ten had been won by the side batting first. It should be a good batting wicket, which Paarl found was to their liking when getting up to chase 212 against Pretoria for the loss of just two wickets. 

Sunrisers, hitherto pretty unreliable with the bat, produced a strong performance at the venue to knockout Joburg. But they did so batting first so the trend holds. The 184 was too much for Joburg who never got going in the chase. With something to defend, the Sunrisers' machine in the field is a nightmare for opposition.

They have been up and down this tournament but the two-time winners have hit form at the right time. Paarl, or MI Cape Town who await in the final, are unlikely to be able to match their confidence at this stage because they have been there and done it.

If the flip were to go their way again one would expect a repeat. Paarl, having lost joe Root, have also lost their last three including a hammering against Sunrisers. The match odds market is yet to settle but around 1.855/6 Sunrisers is possible.

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