Top odds & bet specials for Indians vs. Sunrisers IPL 2017

MUMBAI Indians are riding high after snatching the most improbable of victories in their second-up clash with Kolkata Knight Riders.

Chasing 178 after Manish Pandey and Chris Lynn flayed their quicks all over the park, Ricky Ponting’s charges clinched it with a ball to spare thanks to some strong late hitting from Hardik Pandya.

But much of the credit must go to the top order, with Parthiv Patel, Jos Buttler and Nitish Rana all making big strides from the foot of the mountain.

Kruyal Pandya also played a big part in limiting the damage during KKR’s innings, dismissing the dangerous trio of Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa and Yusuf Pathan before they could make any significant contributions.

They will want to harness every bit of that momentum when they host the reigning champions at the Wankhede on Thursday (00:30 AEDT).

Sunrisers Hyderabad have picked up where they left off in IPL 2016, winning their opening two fixtures in dominant fashion.

Having crushed Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first game of the season, they followed up with a barnstorming nine-wicket win over Gujarat Lions at the weekend.

The Australian imports are in ominous touch, with Moises Henriques hitting back-to-back fifties and David Warner smashing 74 against the Lions.

They also boast a strong bowling unit led by local seamers Ashish Nehra and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, but it is an 18-year-old Afghani prodigy who has stolen the headlines.

Rashid Khan’s leg spin has already returned five wickets in IPL 10, and it was his 3/19 last time out that ensured Gujarat were never in the hunt.

Moises Henriques betting specials

Sunrisers win/Henriques top score – +700 at Sportsbet

Top Sunrisers runscorer – +400 at William Hill

To score 50 – +250 at Ladbrokes

Over 23.5 runs – -120.48 at Ladbrokes

Most runs vs. Yuvraj Singh – -136.99 at William Hill

While something of an unfashionable name in his homeland, Henriques continues to prove his worth in Twenty20 cricket time after time.

He was one of Sydney Sixers’ best performers in the 2016-17 T20 Big Bash League, steering them all the way to the final despite the absence of an entire bowling attack away on international duty.

He was also a factor in Hyderabad’s IPL triumph last season, contributing key runs and big wickets on their run to the finals.

After kicking off IPL 10 with a pair of half-tonnes, the New South Welshman has now racked up scores of 50 or more in each of his last five innings in all formats.

In fact, in only one of his last 10 matches – including three T20 Internationals for Australia – has he been dismissed for a score of less than 47.

It is impossible to ignore that kind of form, even in the topsy-turvy crash and bash of the Indian Premier League.

Indians vs. Sunrisers match betting tips

Sunrisers to win – -123.46 at Sportsbet

Sunrisers most match sixes – +118 at CrownBet

Century to be scored – +600 at Ladbrokes

Mumbai’s last outing showed they are not to be taken lightly, even when faced with the most daunting of tasks.

The question is whether they have the bowling firepower to ensure they don’t always have to tackle such high totals.

They failed to defend 184 in their opening defeat to Rising Pune Supergiants, and the Knight Riders took them for a similar tally.

The seamers have copped some serious stick, with Mitch McClenaghan conceding 51 runs from his four overs against Kolkata.

Facing a team that boasts the hitting skills of Warner, Henriques, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh, et al, they will need to come with something completely different.

Hyderabad’s bowlers have already shown an ability to keep good batsmen quiet, so they have all the tools required to take the points at the Wankhede.