MI New York v Washington Freedom MLC Tips: Freedom should be favourites

• Freedom still underrated

• Jansen a bet at 65/1

• Batter Azzam price wrong

MI New York v Washington Freedom
Sunday 23 July, 22:00
TV: Live on BT Sport

MI New York team news

New York need to start winning. They appear to be locked in a battle with Unicorns for fourth position but do boast a superior net run rate. They've lost two from three with the odd win out a success over LA. The value of that win is signfiicantly devalued, though because Knight Riders are dreadful. Last time out they were schooled by Texas, failing to get close in a chase of 155. Dewald Brevis has been dropped.

Probable XI: Jahangir, Patel, Taylor, Pooran, David, Pollard, Azam, Rashid, Rabada, Boult

Washington Freedom team news

Freedom are on the charge, winning three on the spin. Their success against Unicorns on Saturday night was probably the best of the lot. They somehow managed to defend just 134. USA left-arm quick Saurabh Netravalkar took six wickets. Match-winning performances from home players are like gold in this tournament.

Probable XI: Short, Gous, Mukhtar, Phillips, Henriques, Pienaar, Akeal, Jansen, Piedt, Netravalkar, Nortje

Morrisville pitch report

The Morrisville pitch is officially tricky to bat, which is far from ideal for tournament organisers as they try to capture public imagination. Freedom defended just 134 against San Francisco on Saturday night. It's now seven of the last 11 first-innings which have seen scores under 160. No fifty in first dig is 15/82.88 with Sportsbook and it's two blanks from three.

MI New York v Washington Freedom match odds

In an early show MI New York are as short as 1.784/5. That means when the market settles it is not unreasnable to hope for 2.206/5 on Freedom.

That would be a rick on form, balance and what the wicket is like. New York's major issue is a dearth of batting talent. They've loaded up with foreign pace and middle-order power, neglecting fast starts for example.

On roads that would be fine. But on this tricky Morrisville surface teams desperately need batting nous. Even poor bowling units can restrict. Freedom are actually a crack bowling team and at least can claim to have a top order. Freedom should be favourites.

MI New York v Washington Freedom player bets

Let's pluck out big-priced top-bat value. It is not incoceivable that 20 or 30 from the lower order wins this.

So with MI at least boasting teriific new-ball power in Kagiso Rabada and Trent Boult, Marco Jansen has appeal at 65/166.00 for Freedom. Rabada is probably underrated with the bat at 100/1101.00 but the value might be Pakistani Hammad Azam at 25/126.00. His specialism is batting so it's a wrong price for that reason alone.