Royals Challengers Bangalore v Punjab Kings IPL Tips: Bangalore to bust on a flat wicket

• Punjab underrated

• Kohli boosted to 12/53.40

• Bengaluru full of runs

• Read about Ed's Betfair Exchange strategy

Royal Challengers Bangalore v Punjab Kings
Monday 25 March, 14:00
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Royal Challengers Bangalore v Punjab Kings team news

Virat Kohli returned from his break from the game for RCB against Chennai. He produced a classic stinker to hamper his team with 21 off 20. Reece Topley could replace Alzarri Joseph. They looked a very one-dimensional team against CSK.

Possible XI: Kohli, Du Plessis, Patidar, Maxwell, Green, Rawat, Karthik/Dayal (subs), Karn, Topley, Dagar, Siraj

Punjab might not have their balance quite right. Prab Singh really should be opening instead of Jonny Bairstow or Shikhar Dhawan. Arshdeep will sub in and out with Singh.

Possible XI: Dhawan, Bairstow, P Singh/Arshdeep (subs), S Curran, Livingstone, Jitesh, Shahshank, Harpreet, Harshal, Rabada, R Chahar

Royal Challengers Bangalore v Punjab Kings pitch report

Run rates at the Chinnaswamy since 2018 come in at 9.4. Six times (24 matches) in that study period both sides have busted 200 or more. We might get 2.757/4 that team busts 200 or more batting first.

Sportsbook's 5/16.00 that both hit 200 is likely to prove popular. If you prefer to play safe given the flaky nature of both outfits, the 13/102.30 that both hit 180 has won at even money in the study period.

Royal Challengers Bangalore v Punjab Kings match odds

One of the golden rules of IPL is to take on RCB at odds-on. So we have to get against them here with them priced at 1.834/5.

Man for man we see very little to choose between these sides. In fact, Punjab arguably have the superior bowling.

Arshdeep Singh and Kagiso Rabada are the type of operators that RCB would have on their books, only to give them up so they can waste more money on batting power. See Hazlewood, Hasaranga, Harshal, Chahal.

Royal Challengers Bangalore v Punjab Kings Exchange strategy

We do accept, however, that Punjab might go round the park as most sides do at this venue. They could well be looking a bad bet at the break.

Still, we'd happily bet them to chase something big up to 220. And the strategy on the exchange could be to keep your powder dry and wait for around the 3.002/1 mark. Conversely, Punjab can trade short favs batting first for a trade.

Royal Challengers Bangalore v Punjab Kings player bets

We will keep returning to Punjab pair Liam Livingstone and Kagiso Rabada for top-bat and ball respectively because of excellent win rates. Livingstone, who wins 29% of the time, is 11/26.50 and Rabada, who wins 35% of the time and has an excellent record against these batters, is 3/14.00.

Kohli has been boosted to 12/53.40 for top RCB but we might hold off on such a flat one because he could be outpaced easily.

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