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We are nearing the business end of the twelfth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the most expensive and arguably the best T20 league in the world. Cricket fans all around the world are bracing themselves for what promises to be an action-packed fortnight of top notch cricketing action. We have witnessed a number of fierce contests between the bat and the ball and we will witness many more before the tournament comes to an end in the second week of May.
In the build-up to the tournament, there was a lot of talk about whether the standard and quality of cricket that is played in the IPL this year will match up to that of previous editions of the tournament, especially with the World Cup starting almost immediately after the tournament. It is safe to say that the cricket that has been played in IPL 2019 is as good as anything we have ever witnessed in the history of the IPL, if not better.
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From Russell's brutal batting prowess for KKR to SRH's belligerent opening partnerships between Warner and Bairstow to Alzarri Joseph's 6/12 on debut for MI, this season of the lucrative T20 tournament has been absolutely phenomenal.
At the beginning of the tournament, all teams looked well balanced to make a claim for a spot in the playoffs. As the tournament progressed, some teams performed better than others by taking their chances and holding their nerve in the crunch stages of the match.
Some teams have been driven by individual brilliance, a notion for which KKR's Andre Russell is the best example. Only 4 teams can make it to the knockout stages of the tournament and here's my prediction of the top four, based on current standings and form. Which of these four teams will go on to lift the cup in May?
#1 Chennai Super Kings
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are at their ominous best in IPL 2019. Everything is working out well for CSK at the moment and it is very unlikely that they won't finish at the top of the table in the league stage of IPL 2019. The Chennai franchise has lost only 2 out of the 9 games they have played so far and need only 1 win in their remaining 5 games to seal a spot in the playoffs.
One of the primary reasons for their consistency is that they have a collective contribution mindset which is the ideal approach to the sport. There aren't a few individual batsmen who are doing the bulk of the scoring at CSK. All the CSK batsmen have contributed equally.
At the end of the day, cricket is a team game and all 11 players have a role to play. This mindset has been the driving force behind CSK's success. On the bowling front, Imran Tahir, Deepak Chahar and Harbhajan Singh are doing well for CSK with 15, 11 and 7 wickets respectively in 9 matches. MS Dhoni's leadership prowess has been as good as ever. All in all, CSK look unbeatable at the moment. It is their title to lose!
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#2 Delhi Capitals
The Delhi Capitals (DC) are doing well so far in IPL 2019. They have 12 points in 10 games and look set to make an appearance in the playoffs after 7 years. The appointment of Sourav Ganguly as team mentor has played a crucial role in DC's success this season. He has worked well with Ricky Ponting to mould a well balanced team to challenge for the title in IPL 2019.
The trio of Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant has been amongst the runs in the IPL this year. They have scored 58% of the runs for the Delhi franchise this season. With the World Cup coming, Dhawan's form augurs well for India.
Kagiso Rabada has been at his lethal best in the ongoing edition of the IPL. He is currently the holder of the Purple Cap with a whopping 21 wickets in just 10 games. The Capitals have never made an appearance in an IPL final. If they manage to do that this season, they will be hoping to go all the way and win the title. It remains to be seen if DC are able to perform under pressure in the knockout stages of the tournament.
#3 Mumbai Indians
The Mumbai Indians (MI) are playing an exciting brand of cricket this year. They usually start slowly in the tournament and peak towards the end to make it to the playoffs but this year, they have done fairly well in the beginning, winning 6 out of 10 matches.
The bowling unit, led by Jasprit Bumrah, has done well in the tournament so far. The Indian quick has picked up 11 wickets in 10 games at an exemplary economy of 6.41. Rahul Chahar has also done well for the Mumbai franchise, bamboozling batsmen with his spin and guile. He has 9 wickets to his name at a phenomenal bowling average of 19.11.
Antiguan right arm pacer Alzarri Joseph claimed the best bowling figures in IPL history - 6/12, on debut for the Mumbai Indians against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Unfortunately, he is ruled out of the rest of the tournament because of a shoulder injury. The Mumbai Indians batting has been well served by a collective team effort with all batsmen contributing equally. South African youngster Quinton de Kock has been at his elegant best. Cruising into the semifinals is unfamiliar territory for MI. They must make it count!
#4 Kings XI Punjab
A few experts might predict that the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will finish fourth on the points table at the end of the league stage, but I think that Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) hold the edge. Jonny Bairstow, who is in top form for SRH, will not be available for the remainder of the tournament as he is going back to England to prepare for the World Cup.
Also, SRH have a small problem with their middle order which will be exploited by other teams in the business end of the tournament. The Kings XI Punjab are playing an exciting brand of cricket in IPL 2019.
Their openers Chris Gayle and KL Rahul, arguably the most destructive opening pair in the IPL, has been in excellent nick this season. They rank number 2 and 3 respectively on the leading run scorers list. Skipper Ravichandran Ashwin has led by example with his bowling exploits in IPL 2019. He has 11 scalps in 10 games at a more than decent economy of 7.53. KXIP have qualified for the knockout stage only twice in IPL history. They lost to the Kolkata Knight Riders in the finals in 2014 and will be hoping to go one step further this year.
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