The Indian Premier League, usually referred to as the IPL for short, is a major cricket competition that takes place every year. The format is a T20 tournament with eight teams going head to head for the coveted trophy. Each team represents a different city in India and the players are chosen through an annual auction. Major franchises bid for each player and the one who bids the highest signs the player.
There are other major cricket competitions in India, but the IPL is perhaps the biggest one in terms of viewership and even betting. IPL betting is the most popular type of online cricket betting in India and bookmakers report a spike in betting every year when the IPL season approaches.
Every year, millions of cricket fans all over the world watch and bet on the IPL. The first matches of the IPL 2021 registered an average of 105 million viewers, so it’s safe to say that fans will be eagerly waiting for the matches to resume on September 19 in the United Arab Emirates.
The IPL has been played every year since 2008, but the 14th edition of this popular cricket competition was disrupted half-way. The first match took place as scheduled in April, where the Mumbai Indians played against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. After 29 matches were played, the BCCI took a decision to postpone the rest of the IPL matches due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The IPL was officially suspended on the 4th of May with another 31 matches still left to be played.
Why the IPL was Officially Postponed
The decision to postpone the IPL was reached as a response to the coronavirus situation which was escalating at a rapid rate in India. Several players and staff members tested positive for coronavirus and the BCCI had no other choice but to stop the games for the safety of everyone involved. The BCCI also announced its decision to resume the IPL in the United Arab Emirates instead of India for the reason that the period between September and October is the monsoon season in India. The conditions wouldn’t be suitable for the matches to continue in India so the decision was made to continue the season in the UAE and the final in Dubai.
The IPL will Resume in UAE Instead of India
According to the latest updates from the BCCI, the 14th season of the IPL will resume as planned on the 19th of September. The IPL will continue with the first match between the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings. Fans and cricket betting fans will be eagerly waiting for the first game of the resumption and it’s guaranteed to be an interesting one considering that the Mumbai Indians have won the IPL four times. After that, the Kolkata Knight Riders will face the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the following day’s match.
What Do the Changes in Venue and Schedule Mean for the 2021 IPL?
The change in venue was an unexpected change and a challenge for the IPL because it’s never happened before. For the first time, every team will play away from their home ground. Under the usual circumstances, most of the teams play several games in a venue they’re familiar with every season, but this will all change once the IPL resumes. This means that teams will have to rethink their strategies and plans since they will all be playing on unfamiliar ground.
In the past, one of the teams that used their home ground as an advantage were the Super Kings. Whenever they played at Chepauk, they won almost every single time. The Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, have not always had their biggest success on their home venue and they’ve shown they can easily adapt wherever they find play.
What do the Odds for the IPL 2021 Look Like After the Postponement?
The change in venue is unlikely to after the Mumbai Indians considering they won the tournament in 2020 which was held in the UAE. Most of the latest predictions are ranking the Mumbai Indians as the third or fourth favourites to win this season. The Chennai Super Kings were at the top of the odds since had the highest number of points from all the matches played before the suspension, but this is likely to change. Last year’s IPL season was the first time they didn’t make it to the Playoffs and many fans agree that the venue (UAE) was one of the reasons. Once the matches resume, it will be easier to predict the odds based on how the teams will be performing at the new venue.
Be Update to watch T20 World Cup 2021 live streaming here.