Indian Premiere League – What you need to know before its start
The IPL makes its return on 19th September after a long five-month wait. A lot has happened in that time, with international tours being played and the announcement of T20 World Cup squad members. We even witnessed the retirement of the IPL’s top wicket-taker, Lasith Malinga.
But the IPL is a special competition, and cricket fans will be buzzing with delight to see its return, plus, there are a lot of stakes to be had in sports betting.
As most of you know, the first stage of the IPL was played here in India, with 29 matches being played. But now, the live-action restarts over in Dubai as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take on reigning champions Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday at the impressive Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Any momentum built up in the first stage now counts for nothing — only points matter.
Finding The Dubai Advantage
For anyone who followed the events last year in 2020, you will know about these Dubai venues and their ability to throw up surprises. Much talk has been centred around how fresh the pitches will be after so little cricket being played on them in recent months. This is something that many people are saying will suit the hotly tipped Mumbai Indians coming into the final stages.
On the hunt for a hat-trick of IPL titles, Mumbai Indians are currently in fourth position in the table. Having already won the title in UAE last year, the different conditions will not phase them. In fact, players like Boult and Bumrah are suited to fast bowling, while the likes of Sharma and Pandya will also find the perfect conditions suited to their direct batting game.
MS Dhoni Pulling the Strings
It’s all lining up for MI, but they still need to get out there and win games to guarantee qualification. The first game against MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings will be a huge battle of wits and determination. Both teams are looking to go all the way, and they will see this as a must-win game to pick up that much-needed confidence boost.
Chennai Super Kings sit in second place with a first-class batting selection, including Raina, Jadeja, Ali, and the excellent Faf de Plessis. The fact that MS Dhoni is marshalling the team makes CSK the ones to watch. All that experience and knowledge will be essential in the new surroundings of the UAE, especially after such a long time off for some players as well.
IPL 2021 Squad Information & Teams to Watch
Let’s look at the full list of squads and pick out the strong points coming into the second stage of this 2021 IPL. We will start with the two title challengers playing the first match of the restart, CSK and MI.
- Chennai Super Kings – Many of the top players have been enjoying success over the summer, so expect the likes of du Plessis, Moeen Ali, and Curran all to make an impact. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf de Plessis created a fearsome partnership, and that should be a talking point once again when de Plessis gets back to full fitness.
- Mumbai Indians – Marco Jansen has been pinpointed as a long-term prospect for MI, and so you can expect to see much of the tall paceman doing what he does best in Dubai. Especially on those new pitches. All eyes will also be on how much game time Hardik Pandya gets in the run-up to the T20 World Cup. If fully fit, the all-rounder is an influential player.
- Delhi Capitals – A strong foundation of Indian players means the Capitals will have managed to maintain some togetherness within the squad. Iyer is back and fit, and Shikhar Dhawan has the top run rate in the tournament with 380 runs. His exclusion from the T20 World Cup squad means he will be out with a big point to prove.
Best of the Rest
- Royal Challengers Bangalore – Dan Christian is still looking to continue his impressive T20 form into the IPL. Could this be the year he shines?
- Punjab Kings – Look beyond Gayle and Rahul, and you might find Mayank Agarwal pushing the Punjab Kings on to victory.
- Kolkata Knight Riders – The legend Shakib Al Hasan should put on a strong display for a squad with some question marks around it.
- Rajasthan Royals – Stokes and Buttler are out of the picture, so it looks like Liam Livingstone should be ready to take his chance.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad – Rashid Khan, the wrist-spinner, needs to be a key figure if the Sunrisers are to go far.
Looking Ahead to the T20 World Cup
The T20 World Cup is set to start within a few days of the IPL ending, and so many players will see the next month as the perfect warm-up to the World Cup in October. It takes time to adjust to new venues, new weather conditions, and new pitches. The IPL closing out in Dubai could not have come at a better time for those involved in both tournaments.
It’s set to be a huge couple of months for cricket and all the cricket fans worldwide, and all eyes are on the UAE. ComeOn has some excellent betting markets and odds on the upcoming tournament, so come and take a look at the latest IPL 2021 bets today.
