The end of T20 World Cup may have completed a tournament of great action for cricket lovers around the world but not in India. The T20 World Cup worked as a trailer to the great entertainment show that has just begun – the ninth season of Indian Premier League (IPL).
The timings of these matches are not particularly favorable to the viewers in Australia but the presence of a strong Australian contingent has always kept interest in IPL going. We take a glimpse at the tournament ahead.
The suspension of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the most successful franchise in IPL history, would have put defending Champions Mumbai Indians (MI) a firm favorite for many. With a very settled team, MI will look to the likes of Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga to carry them forward. Watch out for the fast-rising stock of hard-hitter Hardik Pandya. Odds for MI winning the title are $5.50 at William Hill which does offer some value.
Ahead of them on the favorites list are the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) led by superstar Virat Kohli. They always boasted T20 riches but never ended up as champions and that should be a good-enough reason to motivate them this season. The red-hot form of Kohli and the destructive skills of Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers make them a dangerous opponent. The lack of quality local player back-up may haunt them again but they look a great bet for the title at odds of $4.00 at William Hill.
CSK is now defunct, at least for a couple of seasons, but the ‘Midas-touch’ of MS Dhoni has been captured by the new franchise, Rising Pune Supergiants. The Chennai template of success made its way to Pune with Stephen Fleming, Faf du Plessis and Ravi Ashwin joining Dhoni. This explains the short odds of $5.00 at William Hill on their chances. But, the lack of Indian batting firepower could hinder their ambitions.
Apart from those teams, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) looks to have the firepower to challenge for the title, offered at odds of $7.50 at William Hill.
Watch out for the likes of Rohit Sharma ($10 at William Hill), Gayle ($11 at William Hill) and Ajinkya Rahane ($21 at William Hill) to challenge for the honours of top tournament batsman.
The Australian flavor is provided by David Warner who heads the Hyderabad Sunrisers while all eyes will be on Travis Head and Shane Watson of RCB. Mitchell Starc’s fitness will be watched closely but there is enough interest in other teams too with Steve Smith, the Marsh brothers and Adam Zampa, just a few of the Australian players who will light up IPL this season.
Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
