35 matches into the Indian Premier League, the points table makes for a very interesting viewing. The top five teams are separated from each other by just two points, and all teams, with probably the exception of Kolkata Knight Riders have a reasonable chance of getting into the knock-out round.
This piece previews the chances of the top three teams in the competition right now.
Delhi Daredevils are currently at the top of the table, and it is not without reason that Betfair offers 13/5 for them to lift the crown. Their batting has looked superlative in the tournament when most of the other teams – save Chennai – have struggled. The ample proof to this has been their winning streak despite their skipper, Virender Sehwag’s absence; brought about by batsmen like A.B. de Villiers and Tillakaratne Dilshan (both at 19/1 at Betfair to be the top batsmen in IPL).
The Daredevils’ wins have been so smooth that it is a foregone conclusion that not only will they make it to the semi-final, but also into the finals, as Betfair offers 11/17 for them to do so.
Delhi’s bowling is in able hands as well, with the duo of Glen McGrath and Daniel Vettori getting rested for most of the games played. Ashish Nehra (7/1 at Betfair to be top wicket-taker) has been a definite surprise package, and the selectors’ decision to swap him with Shikhar Dhawan (with Mumbai) seems to be paying rich dividend. Dhawan, for the uninitiated, is injured and warming the Mumbai bench!
The second-placed Chennai Super Kings (11/4 at Betfair to win IPL) have 11 points from nine games, and most of their three losses had come about in the first half of the tournament. If there is one team that looks like it can challenge Delhi, it is Chennai, and despite their loss in the league stage to Delhi, they are strong contenders to reach the finals (13/10 at Betfair). The Chennai revival can be attributed to the tournament orange cap holder, Mathew Hayden (8/11 at Betfair to be be top scorer at the IPL this year) and second-placed in the top-run-getter chart, Suresh Raina (6/1 at Betfair to be top IPL scorer)
Expectedly, their best bowler is Muthiah Muralitharan (9/1 at Betfair to be top wicket-taker), who had been surprisingly kept out of the first game of the tournament, that Chennai went on to lose.
After a start that made the experts write Rajasthan Royals off, the team is back with a vengeance and are currently third with the same points as the Super Kings, but an inferior net run-rate. Betfair offers 9/2 for Royals to win the tournament, and if there is one team which can shock the more fancied ones on their given day, it has to be Royals. With a captain like Shane Warne marshalling his troops and focussing on a team effort rather than individual briliiance, it is easy to understand why not too many cricketers find themselves in the top ten favourites to be the top-run-getters – Yusuf Pathan (33/1 at Betfair) is at 14th place.
Munaf Patel (11/1 at Betfair to top bowling charts) has quietly gone unnoticed, but has enough scalps to his name – 10 in only seven games – to be a serious candidate for the purple cap.
The next piece will preview the chances of the next three teams, Deccan Chargers, Kings XI Punjab, Bangalore Royal Challengers.
