Sunrisers Hyderabad
$1.74 at Sportsbet.com
Table position: 1st
IPL form: L W W W W
Delhi Daredevils
$2.10 at www.Bet365.com
Table position: 4th
IPL form: L W W L L
Sunrisers Hyderabad are leading all comers as we approach the final fortnight of the 2016 Indian Premier League season.
An in-form pace attack proved decisive on Wednesday night as David Warner’s men leapt into pole position with a narrow win over Rising Pune Supergiants.
They looked in trouble at the dinner break after finding themselves on the wrong end of a career-best performance from Adam Zampa, who claimed six wickets as Sunrisers struggled to 137.
But a clutch final over from Ashish Nehra (3/29), supported by polished displays from Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/20), Moises Henriques (1/20) and Barinder Sran (1/26), saw Hyderabad score their fourth victory in as many outings.
That strong run of form has seen them move into $3.40 title favouritism in the 2016 IPL T20 betting at Bet365.com, ahead of Kolkata Knight Riders and first-timers Gujarat Lions (both $4.50).
Now SH must tackle Delhi Daredevils, who are looking to turn the tide as they chase their first IPL playoffs appearance since 2012.
Zaheer Khan and company enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, winning five of their first seven to soar into the upper reaches of the points table.
The axle nuts have begun to loosen after consecutive defeats to the Supergiants and Kings XI Punjab, now the bottom two teams, but a win on Thursday would put Daredevils back on the path to a top-four finish.
Interestingly, given how late it is in the season, this will be the first meeting between these two teams in IPL 2016.
Last Sunrisers Hyderabad XI
- David Warner (captain)
- Shikhar Dhawan
- Kane Williamson
- Yuvraj Singh
- Moises Henriques
- Deepak Hooda
- Naman Ojha
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Barinder Sran
- Ashish Nehra
- Mustafizur Rahman
Last Delhi Daredevils XI
- Quinton de Kock
- Sanju Samson
- Karun Nair
- Sam Billings
- Carlos Brathwaite
- Chris Morris
- Rishabh Pant
- Amit Mishra
- Mohammed Shami
- Zaheer Khan (captain)
- Shahbaz Nadeem
David Warner betting markets
Virat Kohli notwithstanding, there is no more damaging a batsman than Warner in T20 cricket right now.
The Australian lefty has bludgeoned 469 runs already from his 10 knocks this season, racking up five half-centuries at a 160.06 strike rate.
As the only overseas player captaining an IPL Twenty20 franchise, he has also earned rave reviews for his decisive and inspirational leadership.
Indeed, the rejuvenated Shikhar Dhawan has credited his own vastly improved form to Warner’s belligerent shotmaking and lead-by-example approach.
If Daredevils can’t dismiss the opposition skipper quickly and cheaply, they may be in for a world of hurt.
Top team batsman – $2.87 (Bet365)
To score 50 – $3.33 (Sportsbet)
Top match batsman – $4.20 (Sportsbet)
Man of the match – $5 (Bet365)
Carlos Brathwaite T20 bets
After his title-winning efforts for the West Indies at the 2016 World Twenty20 tournament, it’s been a comparatively quiet IPL campaign for Brathwaite.
The burly allrounder has gone wicketless in four of his six appearances thus far, while his opportunities with the bat have been limited to the odd lower-order cameo.
When the opportunity has arisen, however, Brathwaite has shown glimpses of the brutal hitting and canny bowling that made him such a valuable asset to WI at the T20 World Cup.
That was all on display in his match-winning performance against Kolkata Knight Riders, where he smashed 34 off 11 balls and jagged three crucial middle-order wickets.
Delhi may need another showing of that calibre if they are to tame an experienced and talent-packed Sunrisers unit.
Top team bowler – $6 (Sportsbet)
Top team batsman – $15 (Bet365)
Man of the match – $17 (Bet365)
Top match batsman – $23 (Sportsbet)