The Pakistan Super League is proving a licence to print money if you had followed our earlier advice about the toss bias in the tournament. It’s now eight from 13 matches which have been won by the chaser. So on Friday when Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators meet, Ladbrokes and other green listed bookmakers are, understandably, struggling to split the pair at 1.91 each. It’s fair enough considering the importance of the toss but even when the chaser shortens up immediately after the toss to around 1.7, they are still value.
These two sides, pretty much like every other team bar the hopeless Karachi franchise, are well matched. So the toss provides the difference. The matches have moved venue from Dubai to Sharjah (which was always the plan) but there has been no let up with the coin flip deciding the outcome. Ironically, had teams stayed in Dubai we could have seen the balance redressed. That’s because the pitches would have become so badly worn that it would have been more of a lottery.
But in Sharjah there is still enough left in the surface to ensure the bias continues. To be frank, it has made a mockery of the tournament. When the sides met earlier in the tournament Islamabad batted second and won by five wickets, chasing 149. We expect a similar story. Win the toss, win the game.
IPL Betting: Early show for most popular T20 tournament
The Indian Premier League staged its auction last week, sparking a frenzy of bidding for overpriced performers. Ben Stokes, the England all-rounder, stole the headlines when he was bought for £1.7m by Rising Pune Supergiants. It’s an odd definition of value. Stokes is good but he’s not worth that. Under pressure in the World T20 he folded when conceding four consecutive sixes to West Indies. And he won’t even be available for the whole tournament.
The bookies are not impressed. Pune are 8 with Stan James, which is fifth in the betting.
Bangalore Royal Challengers are the favourites at 5 with Paddy Power and that could well prove to be a good bet. We are loathe to get with the jollies in this format, particularly one which is a consistent Bismarck in this competition.
But Bangalore have finally bought some bowlers to assist their much-vaunted batting line-up. Tymal Mills, the left-arm quick, is a good (but expensive) capture who will be available for the whole shebang.
Adam Milne, the Kiwi, and Samuel Badree are good signings. So strong is their squad that they may have to leave out Aussie all-rounder Shane Watson.
Mumbai Indians are 6 (in most bookmakers) and will be well supported. There are doubts about their batting after last season’s horribly inconsistent performance.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, the holders, are 7 (Stan James, Ladbrokes). It is a tough ask to win back-to-back titles, particularly as they probably needed to add a top-class spinner.
A young Delhi Daredevils team come in at 8 (888Sport), Kolkata Knight Riders are 9 (William Hill) while the rags are the annually dreadful Kings XI Punjab at 12 (Coral). A few more points on that price please.
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