IPL Betting: Deccan one-point wonders?

/ Rowan Williams / 17 April 2012 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

Can Owais Shah do the damage for Rajasthan?

Ajinkya Rahane has scored the two highest individual scores in the IPL this season with scores of 98 off 66 balls against the Kings XI Punjab.

Rowan Williams can't see the Chargers improving on their single point tally in this year's IPL when they meet the Royals in their next match.

Venue and Conditions
Typical Indian dry and sultry conditions are expected for this early evening fixture from the Sawai Masingh Stadium, Jaipur, in the northern state of Rajasthan.

Rajasthan Team News
The Rajasthan Royals might not want to be making any changes to the team that beat Bangalore on Sunday. However the impressive young Trinidad born spinner Kevon Cooper may well come back into the side in place of either of the two veteran Australians; Brad Hogg or Brad Hodge.

Deccan Chargers Team News
This is the first of two away games in three days for the Chargers, who are the only team yet to register any points in this year's competition. Dale Steyn, Ankit Sharma and Daniel Christian have all been impressing with the ball, but Deccan will be hoping for better contributions from the likes of Kumar Sangakkara and Partiv Patel in the top order.

Match Odds
The Royals are two from two at home this year, batting first on both occasions. Deccan start the match as underdogs and with good reason. A lot will depend upon how the Royals' top order deal with the world's best fast bowler in Steyn, but if they can see off his first spell without too much damage, then it is hard to see them losing.

Rajasthan Top Batsman
Ajinkya Rahane has scored the two highest individual scores in the IPL this season with scores of 98 off 66 balls against the Kings XI Punjab, and then 103 off 60 against Bangalore on Sunday, and he has been dominating the headlines. However, Owais Shah has an average of 68 this year, higher than any other Royal, and has an outstanding strike rate of 170. His performances this year have seen him gradually creep up the batting order, and he is well worth a bet in the Top Batsman market.

Deccan Top Batsman
Shikhar Dhawan was the most dependable batsman last year for the Chargers; playing all 14 games he scored exactly 400 runs at an average of 33.33. He has started this year in the same consistent manner with scores of 21 and 41. Dhawan is probably the best chance in this market: coming in as an opener the Deccan team will attempt to use him as an anchor around which the explosive middle order can play.