There were a lot of doubts and modifications due to Covid-19 but the 2020 season of the Caribbean Premier League does go ahead and it begins on Tuesday. With the precautions the way they are, the tournament could only go ahead if all the matches were held in Trinidad so that is exactly what will happen.
The Barbados Tridents are the defending champions having won the title against the Guyana Amazon Warriors last year. Once again six franchises will battle it out in what is the eighth season of the competition.
Recent Winners
2019 – Barbados Tridents
2018 – Trinbago Knight Riders
2017 – Trinbago Knight Riders
2016 – Jamaica Tallawahs
2015 – Trindad and Tobago Red Steel
2014 – Barbados Tridents
2013 – Jamaica Tallawahs
The Format
The six teams in the tournament each play each other twice over the regular season part of the competition. There is no home and away as the entire event takes place in Trinidad. At the end of the league phase the top four teams go into the semi-finals with first playing fourth and second taking on third. The two winners progress to the final where the title will be won. The final of the competition takes place on September 10.
The Teams
The Barbados Tridents are the defending champions this season and the addition of Rashid Khan is a serious statement of intent. West Indies captain Jason Holder skippers a side which contains a good mix of local talent and overseas prowess. Johnson Charles, Shai Hope and Shamarh Brooks are all West Indies internationals with the bat while Hayden Walsh Jr, Ashley Nurse and Mitchell Santner form a strong spin unit. Corey Anderson is the x-factor in a side who look to have all the tools of title contenders at a 4/1 price.
Trinbago Knight Riders are effectively the hosts of the tournament and can be backed at 11/4 to claim their fourth title. The Knight Riders are always strong contenders for the title and the ability to have kept hold of Kieron Pollard is only going to strengthen their credentials. Trinbago are known for having a strong batting line up but importantly they have a few classy spinners in their ranks which could be vital. It could be that whoever beats the Knight Riders wins the title.
The other team who begin the season as 11/4 shots for the title are the seemingly perennial bridesmaids Guyana Amazon Warriors. There have been seven previous stagings of this tournament and the Amazon Warriors have made the final on five occasions. They are yet to win the event though so they will need to prove they can get over the line. Guyana won 11 matches on the spin to make the final last year but it counted for nothing as they lost to the Barbados Tridents. The absence of Shoaib Malik and Shadab Khan could be significant to their chances as they were big players last season.
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Jamaica Tallawahs are the other side who have won this tournament in the past and they are 6/1 to win it once again this time round. Their chances haven’t been helped by the departure of Chris Gayle, although he has pulled out of the campaign anyway. That means Rovman Powell will skipper the side but any team that has Andre Russell in their ranks shouldn’t be discounted. Young spinners Sandeep Lamichhane and Mujeeb Ur Rahman could be crucial if they have a big run but the Tallawahs look a little light with the bat at the top of their order.
The St Kitts and Nevis Patriots are also 6/1 shots to win the tournament. If the pitches stay true to batting then they could be serious dark horses over the three week duration of the competition. It has to be said that it is unlikely that these pitches will hold up and the big concern is a lack of supply in the spin department. Ish Sodhi will help out in that department but no Fabian Allen is a blow. You’ve got to think the Patriots will need to win some high scoring wins to make it to the latter stages of the tournament.
St Lucia Zouks are the 10/1 outsiders for the tournament. The Daren Sammy led side have a competitive squad which is packed with spinners which is important. The question mark will be whether they have the level of runs in them that would be required with the likes of Chris Gayle, Colin Ingram and Rilee Rossouw pulling out of the event. If this is a low scoring season then the Zouks could be underrated at a decent price, although you would be taking a leap of faith based on their previous displays.
Betting
I’m not a fan of backing defending champions in sporting events but I do struggle to see past the Barbados Tridents here. They look to have all bases covered. I’m not convinced this is going to be all about big hitting. It will be about accumulating runs the longer the competition goes on and then strangling sides with spin and that is where I think the Tridents are in a league of their own. They haven’t gone out and got big hitters. They have a lot of clever batsmen and their quartet of spinners make them dangerous.
Of the rest you have to respect Kieron Pollard and his Trinbago Knight Riders side while the Guyana Amazon Warriors are unlikely to be too far away but you can pick holes in their squad which I don’t think you can about the Tridents. If we were looking for a dark horse it would probably be the St Lucia Zouks but I’m not sure I trust their batting. The Tridents are the defending champions and with Rashid Khan, Hayden Walsh Jr, Ashley Nurse and Mitchell Santner they have the tools with the ball to keep the title.
Tips
Back Barbados Tridents to win CPL 2020 for a 3/10 stake at 5.00 with Coral
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