IPL in UAE 2020: Royal Challengers Bangalore move into contention among favourites

Dubai: Now that all eight teams have opened their campaigns in this year’s Indian Premier League in the UAE, let’s see which team, or teams, have impressed the oddsmakers the most and who have failed to do so.

Only defending champions and four-time winners Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings — three-time victors in the T20 event — have played two matches each, both registering one win and one loss.

The remaining six have had just the one outing as of Wednesday, September 23 with Kings XI Punjab, Hyderabad Sunrisers and Kolkata Knight Riders all ending up on the losing side.

Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore, who have never won the IPL since it was launched in 2008, appear to have caught the eye of the international oddsmakers the most, and have been pushed up from the lower half of the table to join CSK and Hyderabad Sunrisers as second favourites at odds of 5/1 to 11/2.

RCB defeated Sunrisers by 10 runs in a tight match but there was a lot to like about the way the team played overall, something which the bookmakers also like.

However, they remain committed to keeping Mumbai at the head of the markets at a best-price 4/1, the same odds at which they were quoted at before the start of the tournament a lot having to do with their vastly improved showing against Kolkata Knight Riders, who they comprehensively beat by 49 runs on Wednesday.

It was a big improvement to their five-wicket loss to CSK in their campaign opener on the first day of the tournament on September 19.

Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma’s classy knock of 80 is the highest so far in the tournament and has helped him overtake Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli at the top of the top batsmen market.

Generally, the IPL remains a very attractive betting proposition with players still looking for trends and pointers to shorten odds or extends offers on teams who look weaker.

Latest Odds
IPL 2020 winner

Mumbai Indians 4
Chennai Super Kings 11/2
Royal Challengers Bangalore 11/2
Delhi Capitals 6
Hyderabad Sunrisers 13/2
Kolkata Knight Riders 8
Rajasthan Royals 9
Kings XI Punjab 12
Source: Oddschecker