Pakistan Super League Tips Matches 24 and 25: Can Kings stop the slide?

Click here for Hyderabad Kingsmen v Rawalpindi Pindiz odds
Thursday 16 April, 10:30
TV: Live on Willow/Tapmad/Ary

Hyderabad Kingsmen v Rawalpindi Pindiz PSL Tips

Kingsmen are making an unlikely charhge for the play-offs after winning back-to-back matches, their first points of the season. And they are playing Rawalpindi for the first time comes at the perfect juncture. These two were previously locked in a battle not to finish bottom but that contest is now over.

Pindiz, unlike Kingsmen, have shown absolutely no improvement whatsoever and appear to be getting worse. They have failed to reach 160 in two of their last three innings. Against Sultans when they managed a slightly below par 182, they were beaten inside 17 overs. Against Islamanad their target of 156 was chased inside 15. In cricket it's a major problem when a team cannot bat or bowl.

Kingsmen have beaten Islamabad and Karachi, holding their nerve in chases. They have been bolstered by Glenn Maxwell's late arrival and a switch which has seen Marnus Labuschagne take charge at the top of the order. 

The match oddds market reflects the turnaround, although it is slightly disappointing to see Kingsmen as short as 1.728/11. That's pretty mean for a team with their record but says more abpout Pindiz in reality. Possibly the best way to get with Kingsmen is to go unders Pindiz runs for the match at 170.5 at 5/61.84. 

Usman Khan, the Hyderabad hitter, has been a major disappointment for top bats. He came into the tournament with a two-year 40% win rate. And there have been nothing but blanks since. Maybe he will be bolstered by Kingsmen's form. Certainly he has been hitting it well at times. The 9/25.50 that he finally cops is not the worst option.

Click here for Karachi Kings v Islamabad United odds
Thursday 16 April, 15.00
TV: Live on Willow/Tapmad/Ary

Karachi Kings v Islamabad United PSL Tips

Karachi Kings are udner pressure after losing back-to-back matches. It is a bad time to lose form and they will be rightly nervous coming up against an Islamabad team who are in the hunt to finish second.

Losing to the unbeaten Zalmi was no disgrace but the manner of it was. They went down by 159 runs in an extraordinarily one-sided contest. They then suffered a four-wicket loss to the previously winless Kingsmen. Both results should have alarm bells ringing.

David Warner missed that game with a back injury but he should be fit after a decent rest. If not, Reeza Hendricks should open and Moeen Ali lead. The break since the last game should also have worked wonders for talisman Hasan Ali, who didn't look himself after a fever.

United also suffered a loss to Kingsmen the day after, breaking a three-game winning sequence. They absolutely have it in their locker to be complacent as we saw last year. That loss should serve as a sharp reminder that it cannot be turned on at will. United are not unexpected favourites at 1.855/6, though.

If Warner is fit it could be time that he delivers his first top-bat win of the campaign. He is well overdue. The 11/53.20 is not a bad option with Sportsbook. Betting top bat can be fraught with danger but with this wager you have a proven, world-class performer who is comfortably in the win zone. By that we mean we know exactly how often Warner wins, consistent with two-year data. If not this game it will be the next. 

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