With the second leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 around the corner, former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt has named his two favourite teams from domestic cricket’s biggest extravaganza. One of the few Pakistani cricketers to have played the world’s richest T20 competition, Butt discussed the return of the IPL 2021 prior to the curtain-raiser match between former champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday.
MS Dhoni-led CSK will play the first match of the tournament’s second leg against the defending champions at the Dubai International Stadium. The 14th season of the IPL was earlier shifted to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after multiple COVID-19 cases were reported inside the bio-bubble of the cash-rich tournament. Speaking ahead of the resumption of the IPL 2021, former Pakistan opener Butt named CSK and MI has his two favourite teams from the T20 tournament.
During a Question And Answer (Q&A) session on his YouTube channel, the former cricketer and full-time cricket pundit was quizzed to name his top two teams from the IPL. Picking three-time champions CSK and current title holders MI as the two favourites, Butt also explained what separates the two champion sides from the rest of the franchises.
“I have two favorite IPL teams. I will be happy if any of those two teams win. One is Dhoni’s CSK and the other is Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai Indians. Both are smart teams and brilliant tactical sides. They have unique ways to win. Even when they are under pressure or when it seems that the opposition are on top, they find ways to make a comeback. There is a lot to learn when these two sides play in the IPL,” Butt said.
The former Pakistani cricketer and full-time pundit also talked about the firepower of title contenders Delhi Capitals (DC) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Butt feels that former champions Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad are unlikely to compete for the famous trophy this season. “These teams have not been able to perform to potential and they will be missing a few players as well in the second phase of the IPL. So it remains to be seen how they adapt,” Butt concluded.
