Mumbai hope to break first-game hoodoo
Mumbai Indians are the most dominant team in the history of the IPL. But they have a problem and it’s starting a season well. Mumbai last won the first game of an IPL season in 2012. Since then they have struggled to get off to a good start. What possibly helps them here is that they play in Chennai against a comparatively weaker side. They have odds of 1.64 to win this fixture.
RCB, on the other hand, had an early blow with Devdutt Padikkal, their top-order batsman, testing positive for the virus. They still have a formidable unit and Padikkal himself might play with his second test returning negative. The Bangalore side has odds of 2.15 to beat the Mumbai on Friday.
Mumbai dominant in Chennai and head to head fixtures
Overall records favour Mumbai Indians who have 19 wins as against RCB’s 10. In the last two seasons, RCB has won just one of the four matches with even that coming in a tied game that went into the Super Over. In the second fixture last year, a Suryakumar special helped Mumbai beat RCB.
RECOMMENDED BET: Mumbai, despite their poor record in first games, have a strong side and have odds of 1.64 to beat the Challengers.
In Chennai, Mumbai have won eight matches and lost four. RCB have, however, won just two of the 10 games at this venue.
Keep an eye on…
The RCB top-order: With Padikkal likely to miss and Kohli at the top, RCB already have a different look to their top-order. Will they dare to open with Maxwell and give him a free hand? Will AB de Villiers open with Kohli? Questions galore ahead of game one.
Jasprit Bumrah v AB de Villiers: Mumbai’s biggest threat lies in the death overs where Bumrah is at his most effective. Countering him is AB de Villiers, the RCB batsman at the death. Who wins this battle could decide the contest.
TIP: Mumbai Indians hit the most sixes in IPL 2020 and have odds of 1.95 to hit more sixes.
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