The first half of IPL 2020 is now finished and cricket fans have been treated to some fantastic action in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). At the start of the competition, sportsbooks had ranked defending champions Mumbai Indians, 2019 IPL runner-ups Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad as the top three teams who were favorites to win the 2020 IPL Championship.
However, the bookies are not always right and the first half of IPL 2020 has shown once again that cricket is a very unpredictable game. CSK are currently struggling to string back to back wins together and could very well miss the playoffs. CSK sit in 6th position on the points table with a record of 8 matches, 5 losses and 3 wins.
Sunrisers Hyderabad have not looked like a champion side in this IPL as they have lacked the consistency. They currently sit in 5th place on the IPL points table and have a record of 8 matches, 3 wins and 5 losses. They are ahead of CSK due to their superior net run rate.
We take a look at the top 3 teams who are now expected to win the 2020 IPL Championship based on their performance so far because CSK and Sunrisers Hyderabad have played poorly so far.
Mumbai Indians: currently sit on top of the table having played 7 matches with 5 wins and 2 losses. The defending champions took a bit of time to find their groove but have once again looked like a champion side as all of their top players have fired when it mattered.
Rohit Sharma’s leadership has to be commended as he not only leads from the front but also commands the respect of his players. The biggest strength for the Mumbai Indians is they have some of the best all-rounders in T20 cricket which include the Pandya brothers and Kieron Pollard.
CSK used to be their biggest threat in the competition but given that CSK has failed badly in the IPL, the Mumbai Indians might be unstoppable this season.
Delhi Capitals: have definitely been the dark horse this season as no one expected them to play so well. They currently sit in second place on the IPL table with 7 matches, 5 wins and 2 losses. They are just below the Mumbai Indians because their net run rate is slightly below the Mumbai Indians.
Shreyas Iyer has captained the side beautifully and also showcased his skills with the bat. Iyer knows that one of the biggest tests that the Delhi Capitals will have in the IPL is to beat the Mumbai Indians. Delhi Capitals played the Mumbai Indians on 12th October and ended up losing that game by 5 wickets. It was a close game but Mumbai Indian’s used their experience in the end to get the better of the Capitals.
Don’t be surprised if you see these two sides make it to the IPL finals as they have turned out to be the two best sides in the competition so far.
Royal Challengers Bangalore: The bookmakers had the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the bottom of the list when it came to IPL Outright Winners. This was because RCB have played poorly in previous editions of the IPL and very few bettors were willing to bet on RCB making it to the playoffs of IPL 2020.
However, Captain Virat Kohli has got his act together this IPL and has led his side very well. RCB currently sit in 3rd place on the points table with 7 matches, 5 wins and 2 losses. They are behind Delhi Capitals due to a lower net run rate. RCB rely heavily on their batting and if their batsmen can continue to be consistent, they could pose a challenge to Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals.
