IPL Friday Tips: Time to return to Rahul

Punjab Kings v Mumbai Indians
Friday 23 April, 15:00
TV: live on Sky Sports

Top Mumbai bat

Kieron Pollard is value at 9/1 with Sportsbook. But the edge is slender at 1.1%. It's likely to be now or never for the big man unless he is pushed out further in the betting.

Pollard was unlucky not to have topped at 10s on this surface against Sunrisers. Two more deliveries may well have done it.

The Sunrisers bowlers have been on the receiving end of Pollard's big bat in the past. There are signs he is similarly fond of the Kings attack from the numbers below.

In terms of rivals who give an edge we only have Quinton de Kock to worry about who provides 3.3% at 11/4. There is a thin advantage on Ishan Kishan at 11/2.

Pollard strike rate/balls/outs v PK
Shami 185/20/0
Arshdeep 433/3/0
Henriques 266/18/1

Top Punjab bat

On the subject of batsmen taking a fancy to particular bowling line-ups, KL Rahul should be chomping at the bit to get among the Mumbai bowlers as discussed in the match preview.

Rahul averages 64 against Mumbai and he's taken a fifty off them in every edition since 2016. He also smashed a ton in 2019. His strike rate in the last four years has never dipped below 134.

Sportsbook's offering of 21/10 may seem skinny but you've got a five per cent edge on three-year win rate. This makes him the most reliable top-bat bet in the tournament over that period.

He has been slightly disappointing in terms of wins this year but there's nowt wrong with his form. He won in game one and has also notched a fifty.

Top Punjab bat

Fabian Allen managed a win with a solitary wicket in Punjab's heavy defeat by Sunrisers. Sportsbook go 5/1 about a repeat.

As a spinner he is bang in the game on a turning surface. It also helps that he bowled in the first powerplay, when batsmen take more risk. He is worth following for a decent return for a dead heat.

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