IPL 2020: Rating the openers of all the eight teams

The fans are eagerly waiting for the IPL to start this weekend, after a much-anticipated wait. Mumbai Indians shall take on Chennai Super Kings in the season opener on 19th September, starting 7:30 PM IST.

One of the key aspects of a strong team is their opening combination. They come in the PowerPlay overs, where the bowling side has fielding restrictions. The batsmen who can make use of these first six overs are the ones who eventually end up succeeding with their willow.

Most teams have a good opening pair this time, with a good blend of veterans, current superstars and upcoming starlets. It shall be interesting to see who ends up using the conditions on offer most effectively.

Here’s the list:

8. Delhi Capitals- Prithwi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan (8/10)

Delhi Capitals have a good blend of youth and experience with this pair. With backups like Ajinkya Rahane and Marcus Stoinis in their ranks, they are covered in this aspect.

Shaw scored over 350 runs last year at a strike rate of 134. He has provided Delhi quick starts in the Powerplay overs. Dhawan scored 521 runs at a similar strike rate. This ensured that Delhi Capitals consistently got good starts throughout the tournament.

Delhi got Rahane this season after a trade with Rajasthan Royals. He could be extremely handy on the spinner friendly tracks of UAE with his experience. Stoinis also had an excellent season with the bat in the Big Bash League as an opener, scoring 533 runs with the highest score of 147*.