Indian Premier League Tips Matches 35 and 36: Back Royals to return to winning ways

Click here for Delhi Capitals v Punjab Kings odds
Saturday 25 April, 10.30
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Delhi Capitals v Punjab Kings IPL Tips

Punjab Kings are the ony unbeaten team left in IPL. They top the table with five wins from six. It would have been a full house but for rain washing away a position of dominance against a poor Kolkata side.

This is a test, though. Delhi Capitals look a durable, efficient and competitive team even though they are currently outside the play-off spots and were well-beaten by Sunrisers Hyderabad last time out. Betfair Sportsbook make Delhi 11/102.11 outsiders on their own turf with the Exchange making them as big as 2.245/4.

Could the latter be a bet? It looks that way but the chief gamble could relate to the Capitals getting some assistance from the pitch. They should have learned by now that roads will not get them to their destination. Something a little tacky or with grip for their army of spinners will do nicely.

Their batting is not set up to go shot-for-shot with teams. They found this out against Sunrisers on a belter. Only briefly post powerplay were they in the hunt.

Instead a track which leverages their smarts and nous in the field makes sense. The sort they showed against RCB. In the first game at the Arun Jaitley they squeezed expertly to restrict Mumbai to just 162. Then against Gujarat they had the game in the bag chasing 210 before David Miller's brain fade. Make it more of a bowlers' contest and they are hard to beat.

The signing of Rehan Ahmed this week suggests they know this. It's a great pick up. Ahmed is a player who England have underused and if he can get on the park he should be able to make a difference. Ahmed could replace Pathum Nissanka, the Sri Lanka opener, with a host of domestic batters available in a reshuffle.

If the Delhi management and grounstaff are working together, shorting Sportsbook's first-innings runs line of 197.5 would make sense. And if Punjab's shot-makers are sudbued, a middle- to late-order rescue may be required. As the tournament goes on and pitches get harder, we should see more big-priced winners. At some stage Marcus Stoinis should have a big game for Punjab so we note the 17/29.50 about a top-bat win.

Click here for Rajasthan Royals v Sunrisers Hyderabad odds
Saturday 25 April, 15.00
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Rajasthan Royals v Sunrisers Hyderbad IPL Tips

Rajasthan Royals have had their wings clipped with two defeats from three. They hit back to restore confidence against Lucknow Super Giants and the expectation should be that they put down a marker against Sunrisers to prove that they are a consistent team.

Royals were excellent with the ball against Lucknow. Their batting didn't catch fire (posting only 159) but the Lucknow surface is one for the bowlers so a runfest was not expected. As it proved that total was, in fact, a good one so perhaps they worked out perfectly what was required in-play. LSG were rolled for just 119.

That confirmed Royals as the meanest bowling team in IPL. Their economy of 8.97 is the best in the tournament. It is a major boost for those who have taken pre-series prices on Royals going deep. And if you haven't, now might be time to consider a gamble.

We already know that Royals can hit with the best of them and in a tournament where run rates are so high, smarts in the field are going to make all the difference. The 4/15.00 that they lift the title is not a bad wager at all.

In the contest of this match, Royals' attack should make all the difference. It is a must against a Sunrisers team who play only one way. Their batters will try to out-hit the opposition. And if that's not enough, so be it. This is proved by the bowling economy stats again. Only Mumbai have conceded runs at a faster rate than Sunrisers.

As stated, with the likes of Yas Jaiswal and Vaibhab Sooryavanshi able to go toe-to-toe with Sunrisers, the Royals' edge in winning the game is perfectly clear. Betfair Sportsbook rate them at 4/51.80. On the Exchange, 1.865/6 is available - a superior price.

Pat Cummins is getting closer to fitness for Sunrisers. They do need bowling reinforcement but it wouldn't put us off if he made a surprise early return here. Cummins is not exactly a gun in IPL despite his credentials.

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