IPL Eliminator: Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders Odds and Betting Preview

Story by Gus Morse on 2011-05-25 10:33:53

WANKHEDE STADIUM, MUMBAI - The Mumbai Indians lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders this evening in a bid to play the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the semi-final of the IPL. Mumbai are favourites for the match, priced at 4/6 (bet £60 to make £40 profit) with Skybet and the Knight Riders can be backed at best odds of 6/4 on Betfair.

Though the Mumbai Indians line-up boasts of a number of match-winners, the ones the Knight Riders need to be especially wary of are captain Sachin Tendulkar, key batsman Ambati Rayudu, explosive all-rounder Kieron Pollard and yorker-specialist Lasith Malinga.

The Little Master Sachin Tendulkar had a fabulous run in the first half of the tournament, but hasn’t carried that form into the second half, however he is the bookies favourite to rediscover that form and be Mumbai's top scorer, priced at 12/5 with totesport. Although Rayudu hasn’t been too effective lately, he will take confidence from his match-winning cameo in the thriller against the Kolkata Knight Riders a week ago and he is priced at 6/1 with Ladbrokes to be the Indians top scorer.

The Indians will also need to better utilise Kieron Pollard who has only managed 140 runs in eleven innings; the Trinidadian – famous for his big hits and impact innings – has only hit six sixes in the tournament and has a batting strike-rate of 114.75. It’s been a while since Lasith Malinga has been amongst the wickets and he will be itching to get the key wickets today.

Jacques Kallis, Gautam Gambhir and Manoj Tiwary have between them scored 65% of the runs scored by Kolkata, and given this is a knockout match, they will be under intense pressure to deliver the goods. Kallis, despite scoring 417 runs in the competition, had come under some pressure for his low strike-rate of 112.39. However, he answered his critics in style in the previous match against Mumbai Indians when he scored 59 off 42 balls. Kallis is the bookies favourite to be Kolkata's top batsmen in this crucial eliminator, priced at 11/4 with Paddy Power.

The Mumbai Indians are priced at 11/8 with Coral to score the most sixes adn the Knight Riders are priced at 11/8 with Bodog to score the most sixes.

Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders Match Odds
Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders MI Top Scorer Odds
Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders KKR Top Scorer Odds
Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders Most Sixes Odds