Indian Premier League – Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Rajasthan Royals
by Juris Graney
Injury ravaged Rajasthan face Royal Challenge to beat Bangalore
Rajasthan Royals has already registered their worst start to an Indian Premier League and another loss in this match to the Mumbai Indians will create franchise history as their worst losing streak.
While the two opening losses hasn’t ended Rajasthan chances of emulating their inaugural title success in 2008 it has certainly made their task a lot more difficult especially with the loss of opening bowler Dimitri Mascarenhas and Proteas captain Graeme Smith to injury for the rest of the IPL.
Indian Premier League Odds:
Thursday, March 18, 10am EST (8pm Bangalore local time)
Bangalore Royal Challengers –220
Rajasthan Royals +175
The Shane Warne-led Rajasthan were far from lack lustre in their opening exchange against a rampant Mumbai Indians falling four runs short in their chase of 212 with Yusuf Pathan claiming the tournament’s first century with a 37-ball master class of big hitting that included nine fours and eight sixes.
Their six-wicket loss to Delhi Daredevils was a case of being outclassed by cleverer captaining and batting.
Bangalore on the other hand has had a mixed start.
An opening seven-wicket loss to Kolkata Knight riders the direct result of a dismal batting effort that produced just 135 runs was remedied in their second match when they chased down 203 against Kings XI Punjab thanks mainly to an unbeaten 89 by Proteas Jacques Kallis.
Will the high-octane scoring continue in this match? If the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore pitch stays true to form than the answer is yes and you can bet the fans are hoping so.
The bowlers then will need to hone in at the base of leg stump if they want to prevent an onslaught none more so than the Bangalore quicks.
South Africa’s Dale Steyn has been ineffectual going for better than nine runs an over capturing just a lone wicket in eight overs in fact the entire set of bowlers has taken just six wickets among them in two matches. Praveen Kumar was economical in his first stint going for 1/16 off four but then went for 1/43 in his second game. The Jacques Kallis experiment opening the innings failed in the opening match going for 34 in three overs.
To everyone’s surprise even Bangalore’s captain and spin king Anil Kumble has failed to take a wickets in eight overs going for 59 runs.
Rajasthan’s strike weapon Aussie Shaun Tait has yet to find consistency, Warne himself has taken just one wicket while Mascarenhas was the Royals’ go to man at the top taking two wickets in both matches but has been ruled out the rest of the tournament with an ankle injury.
Like Indian Premier League? Click here to read about the match between Delhi Daredevils vs Mumbai Indians.
The batting ranks for both teams have relied heavily on one player firing, unfortunately for Rajasthan that hasn’t been opener Swapnil Asnodkar.
The 25-year-old from Goa was run out for a diamond duck without facing a ball in the opening match before falling for five in his second dig.
Warne would be happy however with Asnodkar’s countryman Abhishek Jhunjhunwala who seemed to blossom by moving down the batting order top scoring in the second match with 53 not out off 45 balls.
Pathan’s opening century was followed by a fifth-ball duck and more will be expected from the experienced all-rounder especially now that Proteas captain and opener Graeme Smith has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament due to a finger injury.
Rajasthan are still without Shane Watson who is currently playing against New Zealand, which means Hampshire’s Michael Lumb, and the Australian pair of Damien Martyn and Adam Voges is Rajasthan’s only overseas batsmen on offer.
Bangalore has no such worries which makes them outright favourites for victory.
Want a parlay, an if-bet, a teaser, a round-robbin? Click here to get started with BetUS.com
