Cricket betting tips: Best bets for England vs Sri Lanka and Afghanistan vs India
England return to white-ball action this week as they begin a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in Southampton, while Afghanistan face an uphill battle to level their series against India.
Here, Sports News Blitz cricket betting expert Himanshu Sharma breaks down the best bets, value plays, and key betting angles ahead of this week’s action.
England vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I
Date and time: Tuesday, September 15 at 18:30 BST
Venue: The Rose Bowl, Southampton
After the Test series against Pakistan, England will need to adapt quickly to the shorter format.
Their 4-0 T20I series win over India in July provides plenty of encouragement.
In England’s last T20I at Southampton, Jos Buttler’s hundred powered them to 257-3.
However, bettors should be wary of expecting another runfest.
The surface proved difficult for batting during The Hundred, with the new ball offering assistance and the pitch often playing two-paced.
Southern Brave's home fixtures produced several low-scoring contests.
Sri Lanka's batting will face a stern test against England's bowling attack.
Moreover, the cooler September conditions and a worn-out surface could make run-scoring difficult.
With their power-packed batting line-up, England still have a chance of posting 200 or more, but backing Sri Lanka to reach that mark is a difficult bet to recommend.
England are short-priced favourites at 1.27, while Sri Lanka are the 3.70 outsiders.
The hosts deserve their status as favourites, but the price offers limited value in the match-winner market.
Best bets
Match winner: England
Top England batter: Jos Buttler
Top Sri Lanka batter: Pathum Nissanka
Top England bowler: Josh Tongue
Top Sri Lanka bowler: Nuwan Thushara
Afghanistan vs India, 2nd T20I
Date and time: Tuesday, September 15 at 15:00 BST
Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
India lead Afghanistan 1-0 after a convincing seven-wicket victory in the series opener, and they now have the opportunity to clinch the series.
Afghanistan have little margin for error, as another defeat would hand India the series.
India's victory in the first T20I was built around Abhishek Sharma smashing 82 off 32 balls and Arshdeep Singh taking 3-19.
Both players are worth backing again in the player markets as India’s top batter and top bowler, respectively.
For Afghanistan, Ibrahim Zadran and Rashid Khan remain the key players. Zadran will need to lead the batting effort, while Rashid's experience could be crucial.
India's batting depth gives them the edge, but don’t write off Afghanistan's spin attack just yet.
If India bat first, their strong top order could see them breach the 200-run mark, particularly if they make the most of the powerplay.
India are priced at 1.07, making them overwhelming favourites, but the match-winner market offers little value compared with the player markets.
Best bets
Match winner: India
Top India batter: Abhishek Sharma
Top Afghanistan batter: Ibrahim Zadran
Top India bowler: Arshdeep Singh
Top Afghanistan bowler: Rashid Khan
