Punjab Kings v Mumbai Indians IPL Tips: Perfect chance for Punjab to hit back

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Thursday 14 May,15:00
TV: Sky Sports

Punjab Kings v Mumbai Indians IPL team news

Punjab Kings have lost four in a row and are now in danger of missing out on the play-offs altogether. Only a few weeks ago there chief concern was whether they would be pipped for the top two.

During their collapse they have been exposed as another one-dimensional outfit. they can bat. boy, they can bat. But their No 1 ranking on strike rate is less impressive when it comes at the expense of bowling economy. They are bottom of the pile.

Teams in crisis often chop and change in selection and that is what has happened. Xavier Bartlett and Nehal Wadhera are out of the side. Yuz Chahl didn't even bowl in defeat by Delhi last time in a sign that there is full-blown

Possible XI: Arya, Prab, Shreyas, Connolly, Stoinis, Shahsank (sub Yash Thakur), Shedge, Jansen, Dwarshuis, Arshdeep, Chahal

Mumbai Indians cannot make the play-offs after defeat by Bangalore. They fought hard in that game but more of that mentality was required earlier in the tournament.

As much as big-game players have left it to each other, the squad has also been let down by inconsistent selection. A total of 24 players have been used meaning that few are confident in what their role is. Will Jacks, for example, has opened and is now being used as a finisher. Raghu Sharma was subbed in for Rohit Sharma versus RCB and was then an unused bowler. It's all very low-watt.

It wouldn't be a huge surprise that with nothing riding on the season for Mumbai Jasprit Bumrah is rested. Shardul Thakur could come back in.

Possible XI: Rickleton, Rohit (sub Raghu Sharma), Naman, Sky, Tilak, Jacks, Raj Bawa, Bosch, Shardul, D Chahar, Ghazanfar

Punjab Kings v Mumbai Indians IPL pitch report

This match takes place in Dharamsala. Before the Punjab-Delhi contest there had been 13 completed night T20 matches at the venue. Runs were suggested with 9.2 runs per over busted. And so it proved. Punjab posted 210 and Delhi chased with an over to spare.

There were, however, signs of seam and swing which is not unusual for Dharamsala. It can be cooler and there are already forecasts of thunderstorms the day before and showers on game day. This will not upset the bowlers.

The watch word is caution. Betting this far out makes little sense so it is advised that waiting to see the pitch and conditions at the toss makes sense.

Punjab Kings v Mumbai Indians IPL match prediction

This column has consistently advised against Mumbai Indians this season once it became clear that they were not at the races. Since they have consistently been overrated on the match odds markets. often going off as favourites they were a cash cow to lay. It is true that their odds have been clipped now but the cutting hasn't gone far enough.

Punjab are 1.845/6 to end their horror sequence and that sounds like value. There will be other prices to catch the eye in the expectation of Punjab getting back to winning ways. Sportsbook offer Punjab to win and both teams to score 150 at 5/61.84 for example. There's also 11/82.38 that they win and hit the most sixes. The latter is likely to prove popular as there is a gulf in power hitting. Punjab average 13.4 sixes per game and MI 9.6.

Punjab Kings v Mumbai Indians IPL player bets

There are two batters who are in the win zone on the top runscorer market to consider for this contest. For Punjab, Prab Singh is overdue a decent hit. We know his quality and we know he is getting closer to producing a score of note. There's nowt wrong with Sportsbook's 16/54.20.

Likewise Sky Yadav for Mumbai. His duck last time means he's pushed out to 4/15.00. Again, chronic form doesn't really exist in T20 and Sky may find the middle of the bat this time.

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