India vs Sri Lanka 3rd T20I match prediction

India and Sri Lanka will lock horns at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune for the third and final T20I of the series on Friday.

Let’s be honest - none of us were really ‘excited’ for the 2nd T20I, were we? I mean, we knew for a fact that the match was always going to be one-sided. But yes, to see Jasprit Bumrah return to action was AMAZING! We’ve all missed him badly, haven’t we? Oh but when the match eventually ended, I was a very very happy man - not because India won, but because I had made a truckload of money. So even if you’re not excited for tomorrow’s encounter, I’m pretty sure you will never say NO to making easy money. And today, I have three crazy bets that will all but guarantee you TRIPLE THE RETURNS!. Without wasting due time, let’s dive right into the bets.

Averaging more than 73.3 runs in the opening partnership

India to have the highest opening partnership @ 1.53

So let me get something straight - some bets maybe way too straightforward and maybe even a bit ridiculous, but it is what it is. Anyway, coming back to this bet, it looks like it genuinely doesn’t matter who the Indian openers are; they all seem to pile misery on their opponents. Rohit Sharma’s absence didn’t matter one bit in the second T20I as Rahul and Dhawan put on an impeccable 71-run stand for the first wicket. In fact, despite having two different opening pairs, India have averaged a staggering 73.3 for the first wicket in their last 3 matches this home season. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have averaged just 14.6 for the first wicket in their last 3 T20 games, and that average staggeringly drops to a hideous 3.00 when they travel. Unsurprisingly, in the 2nd T20I, too, the Indian openers put more runs on the board than the Lankan openers, who just managed to add 38 for the first wicket. And while in the last H2H encounter at this venue, the openers of both teams failed - adding just 0 and 4 respectively - it is to be noted that India have been outstanding with the new ball this home season, having taken the first wicket at an average of 24.6 in the last 5 games. With Rahul in ominous form - coming on the back of a 91 and a 45 - and with Dhawan, too, finding form, India have a higher opening partnership looks like the most likely outcome.

India has hit 72 4’s in their last 5 games

India to hit more fours than Sri Lanka @ 1.50

The 2nd T20I in Indore was one of the very rare occasions where India ended up hitting fewer fours than their opponents. But well, there’s a reason why lightning never strikes twice. The Men in Blue have hit a staggering 72 fours in their last 5 matches, whilst conceding 62 fours. They’ve also hit more fours than their opponents in 4 of their last 5 games, with the only exception being, of course, the last game in Indore. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have just hit 50 fours in their last five games, whilst conceding a staggering 66 fours. The Malinga-led side have allowed their opponents to hit more fours than them in 3 of their last 5 T20 games. In H2H matches, India have hit more fours than Sri Lanka in 3 of their last 5 matches and in India, specifically, they’ve battered the Lankans, having hit more fours than them in 4 of the last 5 matches. By now, it is all but evident that the visitors hitting more boundaries than India in the 2nd T20I was nothing but a one-off, hence it seems to be a no-brainer to bet in favour of Virat Kohli’s men to hit more fours come Friday.

Over wickets - good value bet

Runs at the fall of the first wicket over 21.5 @ 1.80

So far this home season, there has been only one flavour - runs, runs, runs, runs and runs. And you know what’s even crazier? The new ball bowlers have struggled to take wickets - big time. In 9 matches so far this home season, ONLY THRICE did a wicket fall before the team batting first putting at least 22 runs on the board. Crazy, right? The flavour was no different in the 2nd T20I in Indore, where Sri Lanka, the team batting first, added 38 runs for the first wicket. In fact, the flavour has pretty much remained constant whenever these two teams have met in India: 3 of their last 4 meetings in the country has seen the team batting first put more than 21.5 runs for the first wicket, with the only exception being their clash at Wankhede in 2017. Do I expect this to change come Friday? Absolutely not. Yeah, I know Bumrah is back, but with him still getting back to full fitness and with Kohli reluctant to use him more in the powerplay, it does seem like the Lankan openers might get a free pass in this series. He returned figures of 1/32 in the first game, remember? And well, I guess I don’t have to say a word about what the Indian openers can do. So that’s this bet pretty much settled, then!

Jackpot - cricket bets accumulator

Alright then, three pretty straightforward bets, what’s the fun in that? Remember the part about tripling the money? Well, it’s time to go one better. Parlaying the aforementioned events will give you odds of 4.13, meaning a $1000 bet will give you returns of $4130. A pretty crazy return for three cricket-expert bets, right!