This year the IPL is likely to be a little offbeat as it will take place outside India. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host IPL 2020 and it is highly likely that the tournament will be played behind closed doors. With IPL less than 10 days away, several analysts and commentators have started predicting the sides which will dominate IPL in the UAE.
In the wake of the development, former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja believes that spin will play a major role in the upcoming season considering the slow surfaces in UAE.
Pollard and Pandya Will Struggle In IPL 2020- Ramiz Raja
Raja also made a bold statement and foretold that big hitters like Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, and Chris Lynn might struggle against slow bowlers in the IPL.
“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”, Ramiz Raja said.
The popular commentator further added that team selection will also be different in the IPL. He emphasised on the fact that fast bowlers who don’t have many variations are likely to be less lethal as the pitches in the UAE will not assist them.
“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”, Raja said on the YouTube show Cric Cast.
Read More: Mumbai Indians Predicted Playing XI
Lastly, the former cricketer admitted that teams will have to adjust this year as they will play without any home advantage. The likes of KKR and RCB will have to stand up without the support of their home crowd which works as an added advantage for them when the league is played in India.
“So big teams will be playing away from their homes where they had a lot of advantage, 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 the neutral territory”, Raja concluded.
The 13th edition of the IPL will be contested between September 19 to November 10 in the UAE. The defending champs Mumbai Indians will clash against Chennai Super Kings in the season opener at Abu Dhabi.
Also read: IPL 2020: Full Coverage