IPL 2020: 3 teams with the best chances of winning the trophy
Right from its inception, the IPL has sparked excitement among fans and players alike. Many world-class players, along with a healthy dose of homegrown talent, take part in the tournament every year.
This time, the players will also look to gain momentum for the upcoming T20 World Cup. The teams strengthened themselves for the upcoming season during the player auction held last year.
Some teams, like Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, and Kings XI Punjab, were active throughout the auction in a bid to bolster their squads for the upcoming edition of the IPL.
On the other hand, sides like Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians were judicious in their attempts and only pounced in on the right opportunities.
As is the case every year, some teams look a bit stronger than the others. On that note, let's have a look at the three teams with the best chances of lifting the IPL trophy this year:
#3 Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders effectively added to their already impressive pool of overseas players during the auction. The team looks well-settled for the upcoming season of the IPL as they acquired the services of some truly magnificent players.
With some reliable players in skipper Dinesh Kartik, Eoin Morgan, and Andre Russell, team Kolkata has their middle-order sorted. Both Kartik and Russell are well-capable of orchestrating the innings as well as hitting the big shots in the death overs.
The Knight Riders have a decent bowling line-up as well. They have numerous quality bowlers, including stars such as Pat Cummins, Lockie Ferguson, and Sunil Narine.
One thing that could harm their chances is the lack of depth in their squad. Although their first team is formidable, the team lacks quality second-choice options. KKR could have fared better on this list had they had enough depth in their squad.
#2 Delhi Capitals
After years of mismanagement and bad luck, the Delhi-based franchise has finally turned its fortunes around. They have assembled a strong core of young Indian players over the past few years. The team has also traded in experienced workhorses Ajinkya Rahane and Ravichandran Ashwin for the upcoming season.
Team Delhi's roster looks like a side capable of winning the tournament this year. The Capitals have the right balance of youth and experience in their squad. On paper, the team is one of the most balanced sides in this year's edition of the IPL.
The team has quality batting and bowling options in their squad. They lacked a decent finisher last season, but the management seems to have taken notice as they bought Shimron Hetmyer for INR 7.75 crores in the auction. Barring any significant loss of form, the team from the north looks set to wreak havoc in this year's edition of the IPL.
#1 Mumbai Indians
There aren't many teams in the IPL better than Mumbai Indians. The team has immense depth in all departments, along with an impressive pool of quality Indian players.
The Mumbai-based franchise has added Australian opener Chris Lynn for his base price of INR 2 crores from the auction. In Pollard and Pandya brothers, Mumbai Indians have a destructive lower middle-order. Along with all these players, Suryakumar Yadav could play a key role in containing their innings.
Team Mumbai has immense depth in its bowling department as well. It has many experienced bowlers, like Jasprit Bumrah, Nathan Coulter-Nile, and Trent Boult, on its roster. Looking at their quality and quantity, they surely are a side capable of defending the title this year.