Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was moved out of India and now it will be taking place in the UAE. However, according to former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja, spinners will be playing a crucial role in IPL 2020 and that, eventually, will be hard on Mumbai Indians’ power-hitters like Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard.
During a Youtube show on Cric Cast, Raja was heard saying, “I think the teams who have a good spin department will do well, that is the first thing. The big-hitters will struggle. Like Lynn, Pollard, or Pandya brothers, Hardik Pandya probably although he plays spin well. But I feel that the team selection in this IPL will be slightly different. Fast bowling will be difficult, you will see a lot of variations.”
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The cash-rich league, organized by the BCCI, will be hosted behind closed doors amid the pandemic situation. According to Ramiz Raja weighed, popular teams like Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) might face problems adjusting to the no-crowd situation given that they are used to the packed crowds at the Eden Gardens.
Explaining his point further, Ramiz Raja said, “And behind closed doors, what will be the impact, because you will have to almost remain like a prisoner in a bio-secure environment and put up your best performance. So it becomes a difficult task. Because IPL without the buzz of the crowd is incomplete.”
He further added, “So big teams will be playing away from their homes where they had a lot of advantage, for e.g. Kolkata Knight Riders had an advantage of playing at the Eden Gardens where the crowd support helps them in crunch moments. Similarly, RCB plays in Bangalore, who get an advantage there. So, it will be interesting to see how they adjust themselves in neutral territory.”
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The IPL 2020 season is scheduled to be commencing on September 19, with defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) facing Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the tournament opener, in Abu Dhabi.
