Kolkata v Rajasthan: Royals to unseat off-course Riders
Published:Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders have endured a dismal season in the IPL that has seen them win a mere three of their ten matches, leaving them third bottom of the table.
The Knight Riders have had just one success in their previous five outings and look hard to back at 4/5.
They need to win all of their remaining fixtures to extend their campaign but will struggle against a Royals side who sit comfortably in third.
Rajasthan are evens to record a victory that could see them move into pole position to launch an attack on leaders Chennai Super Kings.
They will be buoyed by an impressive four-wicket triumph against second-placed Royal Challengers Bangalore, who look fragile after losing successive matches.
The visitors’ James Faulkner has turned out to be one of the tournament’s great finds this year.
The Aussie has been in lethal form with the ball and is the current holder of the Purple Cap having picked up an impressive 16 wickets in seven matches.
The 22-year-old looks a tempting proposition at 11/10 to claim more victims than compatriot Brett Lee, who has taken just four wickets in his three appearances.
Faulkner also looks a sound bet to take over 1.5 scalps at 5/4.
Despite the Knight Riders’ poor form England batsman Eoin Morgan has still been explosive, smashing 13 sixes, more than any other player on show here, and if he is on form the evens on Kolkata notching more maximums looks a good punt.
Shane Watson is one of the competition’s in-form men with willow in hand and averages over 52 after totting up 314 runs in his 17 outings for the Royals.
He was instrumental in the win over the Challengers, scoring 41 from 31 balls and he looks nailed on at 5/6 to score over 23.5 runs here.
