IPL 2021: Predicting one match-winner from each team for UAE leg

We’re less than a month away from the second half of the Indian Premier League 2021. After the 14th edition of the IPL was abruptly postponed, several fans across the globe were dejected. However, the frenzy and excitement are back as the second phase of the biggest T20 league in the world will take place in the UAE and the schedule is out. All eight teams will start from right where they stopped and would start working on their game plans. For this, they would be hoping that they would have at least one player who could perform for their consistency. While cricket might be a team game, you need an impactful individual who can win matches for your team even when it isn’t your day. Thus, every franchise has at least one match-winner in their side. Taking the current form, pitch conditions and abilities into account, who are the MVPs of their respective franchises this time around? Here is one player from each team who can be a match-winner for the UAE leg: 8) Punjab Kings – KL Rahul KL Rahul of Kings XI Punjab. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) It is safe to say that KL Rahul has carried the Punjab-based franchise for a few seasons now. He has been their Mr. Consistent. Irrespective of the conditions, he has always scored runs. It gets shocking when you realize that he has aggregated the most number of runs by any batsman in IPL since 2018. Captaincy has managed to get the better of him and he ended up winning the Orange Cap when the IPL was played in the UAE in 2020. The Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper was looking good in the first half of IPL 2020 as well. He scored 331 runs in 7 innings and had an average of 66.20. He has scored the second most number of runs in IPL 2021 as of now. 7) Rajasthan Royals – Chris Morris Chris Morris. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) Chris Morris has been one of the most impactful T20 all-rounders for quite a while now. Not only is he a superb death bowler but he can also hit a few lusty blows with the bat. Any team would love to have the services of someone like Chris Morris. The Proteas all-rounder was purchased for a large amount in the IPL 2021 auctions by the Rajasthan Royals (RR). He justified it by his performance in the first phase of IPL 2021. The RR all-rounder picked 14 wickets in the first half of IPL 2021. He had a bowling average of 16.00 and is third on the list of the highest wicket-takers of IPL 2021 as of now. One must not forget the fact that he won RR a match with the bat as well. Morris would be looking forward to playing the second phase of IPL 2021 in UAE as he was superb the last time he played an IPL season over there, that is in 2020. 6) Kolkata Knight Riders – Lockie Ferguson Lockie Ferguson. (Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS) This might surprise a few fans as Ferguson didn’t even feature in the first phase of IPL 2021. However, one must remember that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) would be without the services of their main pacer Pat Cummins. Who better to fill up for him than Lockie Ferguson? The Kiwi pacer has been superb in the shortest format of the game. His express pace is something KKR might just need. Besides, he was really good in the previous IPL season which took place in UAE. The pacer picked 6 wickets in five games at an average of 24.66. His economy rate was 7.46 which is more than decent. Thus, if KKR are to do well in the UAE leg then he will have to be at his best. 5) Delhi Capitals – Shikhar Dhawan Shikhar Dhawan. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS) Shikhar Dhawan has been sensational in the toughest T20 league, to say the least. Not many players have been as good as him of late. The Indian opener has aggregated more than 1400 IPL runs since 2019. He scored the fourth-highest scorer in IPL 2019 and second-highest scorer in IPL 2020. Last but not the least, he has scored the most number of runs in IPL 2021 as of now. With the form he is in, the Delhi Capitals (DC) could guarantee a good start in every match. The Delhi opener will cherish the conditions as well as he has a good record over there. Thus, Dhawan must continue his good form if DC is to do well in the second phase of IPL 2021. 4) Sunrises Hyderabad – Rashid Khan Rashid Khan. (Photo Source: Twitter) Rashid Khan has been synonymous with the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for quite a while now. You wouldn’t find too many players as impactful as him right now. The Afghan sensation has a knack of changing the game in just a few overs. To make matters worse for other teams, the slower UAE tracks are going to suit him. He is threatening in such conditions. Besides, he picked 20 wickets in the previous season which took place in the middle east. He was good in the first phase of IPL 2021 as well. The all-rounder picked 10 wickets in seven matches. His bowling average was 17.20. 3) Royal Challengers Bangalore – AB de Villiers AB de Villiers. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) While other teams have a plan A and plan B, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) always have a plan ABD. De Villiers has won many matches for his franchise when they’ve been zero chances for them to win the game. The former Proteas captain has been RCB’s “X Factor” for quite a while now. So much so that he has been carrying them for many seasons. Mr. 360 has been designated the role of a finisher this time around. He was superb in the first phase of IPL 2021 as well. The superstar scored 207 runs in the six innings. He had an average and strike rate of 51.75 and 164.28 respectively. Thus, RCB fans would hope and pray that ABD continues his good form. 2) Mumbai Indians – Jasprit Bumrah Jasprit Bumrah. (Photo: IANS) When it comes to impact, he is right up there. Jasprit Bumrah has been one of the best seamers in the world for quite a while now. MI owe a lot of their success over the last few years to him. Despite not being at his best, he was decent in the first phase of IPL 2021. The MI pacer had picked 7 wickets in six games at a decent economy rate of 7.11. His bowling average and strike rate were 32.00 and 27.00 respectively. However, it was his performance in the previous season which would impress one and all. As he’s going to bowl in similar conditions this time around, he’d fancy improving his IPL 2021 record. One must not forget that he was the second-best bowler of IPL 2020. 1) Chennai Super Kings – Sam Curran Sam Curran. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) For a team that generally recruits experienced and old players, Sam Curran was a revelation. The youngster has impressed one and all in such a short period. Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni have put a lot of faith in him. The English all-rounder was sensational the last time Dhoni’s boys played in the gulf. He has taken the most number of wickets by a CSK bowler since 2020. It gets scary when you realize that several cricket pundits rate his batting skills better than his bowling. The all-rounder adds balance to the XI as he is a genuine all-rounder. Predicting him to be CSK’s most impactful player in the UAE leg is an absolute no-brainer. Thus, CSK fans would hope that he continues his good IPL form.

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IPL 2021: Predicting one match-winner from each team for UAE leg

Here is one player from each team who can be a match-winner for the UAE leg.

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