CPL 2020 Predictions and Preview
The Caribbean Premier League is set to become the first major T20 league to return after the COVID-19 pandemic hit us. The lack of top-quality cricket makes this league highly awaited. Some of the world’s best T20 players like Rashid Khan, Alex Hales, and Colin Munro are going to be traveling to the West Indies to take part in CPL T20 2020.
Of course, the fact that the West Indies has a fantastic amount of T20 talent of its own cannot be ignored either. The chance to see Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer, Lendl Simmons, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, and more slug it out on the cricket field is mouth-watering.
The CPL 2020 draft was held recently and we know exactly how the teams stack up. Can the defending champions Barbados Tridents hold on to the crown or will someone else rise to the occasion?
Best CPL 2020 Bets
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Betway
CPL T20 2020 Winner
Guyana Amazon Warriors (3.75)
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This is the same side that came very close to having a perfect season in 2019. The crux of the team is the same and they now have Rashid Khan in there as well. That is going to be a tough team to stop.
They are suited to the conditions they will get in Trinidad and have a very well-balanced side.
They seem all but certain to be able to make it to the Playoffs. After that, it is anyone’s game.
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ComeOn
CPL T20 2020 Winner
Jamaica Tallawahs (7.50)
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If you want to take a bit more of a risk for better returns, place another smaller bet on the Jamaica Tallawahs. They are currently available at $7.50. We think they are going to be able to make it to the playoffs if their players remain healthy. With the match-winners in their team, winning one or two T20 matches to clinch the title is not unthinkable.
A worthy hedge/punt in our opinion.
Predictions of the Teams to make the playoffs
- Guyana Amazon Warriors
- Trinbago Knight Riders
- Barbados Tridents
- Jamaica Tallawahs
CPL T20 2020 is going to involve six teams playing 33 matches from August 18th to the 9th of September 2020. Learn more about the odds of the team and review of individual teams below in our definitive guide.
CPL 2020 Winner Odds
Team |
10CRIC |
Bet365 |
Betway |
ComeOn |
Up to date as of 27 July 2020 |
Guyana Amazon Warriors |
3.75 |
3.50 |
3.75 |
3.75 |
Trinbago Knight Riders |
3.75 |
4.00 |
3.75 |
3.75 |
Barbados Tridents |
4.30 |
4.50 |
4.50 |
4.30 |
St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots |
5.50 |
6.00 |
6.50 |
5.50 |
Jamaica Tallawahs |
7.50 |
7.00 |
7.50 |
7.50 |
St. Lucia Zouks |
11.00 |
10.00 |
11.50 |
11.00 |
Chances of Winning the CPL 2020
Based on the odds above, we can calculate an approximate for what the betting sites believe the chances of the various teams have on winning the Caribbean Premier League 2020 as of now:
- Guyana Amazon Warriors: 23.96%
- Trinbago Knight Riders: 22.46%
- Barbados Tridents: 19.97%
- St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots: 13.82%
- Jamaica Tallawahs: 11.98%
- St. Lucia Zouks: 7.81%
CPL 2020 Team Review
Barbados Tridents CPL 2020 Preview
- CPL 2019 Result: Champions ( 5 W and 5 L during Group Stage)
- Players To Watch Out For: Rashid Khan, Hayden Walsh, Alex Hales, Marcus Stoinis
The Barbados Tridents were not extraordinary during the group stage of CPL 2019, however, they started hitting their stride at just the right time in the tournament. Interestingly, the Barbados Tridents won every single game that was played in Trinidad and Tobago, which is the sole venue for this year’s competition.
Spin is expected to play a very big part in this year’s competition and this is why the Tridents have brought in Rashid Khan to strengthen their already strong bowling department. Hayden Walsh was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 22 wickets to his name.
Jason Holder and Raymon Riefer were also in the top-4 giving the Barbados Tridents three out of the top-4 spots.
The core of the bowling attack has remained the same. Harry Gurney returns as does Ashley Nurse to round things out. Sandeep Lamichhane is no longer a part of the Barbados Tridents but Rashid Khan should more than make up for his absence.
The batting, though, is a bit of a concern. JP Duminy and Shakib Al Hasan are not going to be a part of the squad this year. This takes two out of their best batsmen and two very useful bowlers out of the rotation.
Johnson Charles scored 419 runs last season and was easily the best batsman for the Tridents. He is going to have to hope that Alex Hales, Marcus Stoinis, and Jonathan Carter can step up in CPL 2020.
Strengths
- An Excellent bowling attack that will get stronger as the pitches start to turn more.
- A lot of T20 specialists in the side.
Weaknesses
- No Duminy, Shakib, or Lamichhane for this season
- Johnson Charles and Jonathan Carter are not the most dependable batsmen to base their side around
Guyana Amazon Warriors CPL 2020 Preview
- CPL 2019 Result: Runners-Up (10 W 0 L during Group Stage)
- Players to Watch Out For: Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Imran Tahir
The Guyana Amazon Warriors did not lose a single match in CPL 2019 until the Final. That was the only match they lost and it was a bit cruel that they did not actually end up winning the title. It is not often you see a team in a major T20 competition win ten out of ten group matches.
Perhaps this is why the Guyana Amazon Warriors have not really changed the core of the squad for this season either.
The batting is going to be the strong suit for this side. They have the most talented crop of West Indian batsmen in their team. Brandon King, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, and Sherfane Rutherford are all going to line up for the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
This is pretty much the first choice lineup for the West Indian international team as well.
Adding experience to this lineup is Ross Taylor. One of the best ODI batsmen in the world in recent years, Taylor is a very dangerous T20 player. He can clear the boundaries when needed and can also rotate the strike around under pressure.
All-rounders such as Chandrapaul Hemraj, Chris Green, and Keemo Paul will help provide a lot of balance to the team. Imran Tahir is the leading bowler for the Warriors with Qais Ahmed in there as the second spinner.
The fast-bowling resources are a bit thin, overall. Shoaib Malik and Shadab Khan played a very big role for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in 2019 but they are not going to be available for this season. Replacing them is not going to be the easiest.
Strengths
- Strong and powerful batting lineup
- Two quality leg-spinners in the squad
Weaknesses
- Missing Shoaib Malik, their best batsman from the previous season
- Seam bowling resources look a bit thin
Jamaica Tallawas CPL 2020 Preview
- CPL 2019 Result: Last ( 2 W and 8 L in the Group Stage)
- Players to Watch Out For: Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite, Rovman Powell
This is the most dysfunctional franchise of the entire CPL and that is saying something! The Jamaica Tallawahs always seem to have some of the biggest names in their side only to underperform year after year.
Maybe the stars in their teams are so big that is does not allow a team-based strategy to succeed. Chris Gayle is no longer playing CPL 2020 after a bitter fall-out with the owners of the franchise.
With all the noise and distraction around the franchise, you are already starting with a major disadvantage.
The biggest strength that the Jamaica Tallawahs have is their all-round strength.
Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite, and Rovman Powell are the three premier all-rounders in West Indies cricket right now. Any team with these three match-winners in them cannot be counted out in any situation.
The bating is going to be led by Glenn Phillips from New Zealand and Chadwick Walton. Both the players had a decent series in 2019 with Phillips scoring 374 runs and Walton scoring 207.
Asif Ali and Nkrumah Bonner have been added to the squad to reinforce the batting stock and add some depth.
In the previous season, Andre Russell played just five matches and Rovman Powell just 4. All of the Jamaica Tallawahs players must remain fit if they are going to be a threat this season.
The bowling is a bit stronger this year with the addition of Sandeep Lamichhane. He and Tabraiz Shamsi could form a very potent spin-duo for the Tallawahs. Oshane Thomas and Fidel Edwards round out what seems like a very good bowling attack, especially once you take the all-rounders in consideration as well.
Strengths
- An abundance of world-class all-rounders and power
- The bowling attack has more variety and depth than last season
Weaknesses
- Batting is a bit thin and a lot will depend on the form of the big-hitting all-rounders
- Fitness and the availability of its best players for the entire season always remains an issue
St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots CPL 2020 Preview
- CPL 2019 Result: Fourth ( 5 W, 5 L in the Group Stages)
- Players To Watch Out For: Evin Lewis, Chris Lynn, Sheldon Cottrell
The Patriots finished third in the league after the group stage in 2019. We thought that was an excellent result for them and showcased the best of them. The team could not make it count and got knocked out in the Eliminator but most of its players for this season are the same and will be hoping to improve this time around.
The batting is a concern with the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots. They did not have a single player that scored more than 300 runs in the previous season. Laurie Evans, Fabian Allen, and Evin Lewis got more than 200 runs each but the rest of the batting was very poor.
In fact, Fabian Allen was perhaps the most impactful player for the Patriots last season.
The addition of Chris Lynn is a huge plus for the Patriots. Lynn is a powerful striker of the ball and has been pretty successful in the CPL in previous seasons as well. The Aussie can be a bit slow to start, though, and the Patriots must be hoping he is not rusty after the long layoff he is coming out of.
Denesh Ramdin, Ben Dunk, and Rassie van der Dussen are the other batsmen in the squad. As per the information currently available, Rassie van der DUssen will not be able to go to the Caribbean because of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The Patriots need all of their batsmen to be at their best to be competitive.
Sheldon Cottrell and Rayad Emrit were the pick of the bowlers for the Patriots in 2019. They are both back once again and will have Sohail Tanvir, Alzarri Joseph, and Ish Sodhi for support.
There is potential in this team but we don’t quite see a title winner here just yet.
Strengths
- A lot of power in the batting
- Bowling attack seems well-settled
Weaknesses
- Depth in the team is an issue
- Batting is always going to be a bit shaky
- Consistency is something we are concerned about from this squad
St. Lucia Zouks CPL 2020 Preview
- CPL 2019 Result: 5th ( 3W, 6 L, 1 NR)
- Players To Watch Out For: Obed McCoy, Andre Fletcher, Mohammad Nabi
The Zouks are in a bit of a tough spot at the start of the Caribbean Premier League. They picked three outstanding T20 players from South Africa that are not going to be able to make it to to the CPL.
Rilee Rossow, Anrich Nortje, and Colin Ingram are all a part of the Zouks squad. The COVID-19 travel restrictions are going to hit the Zouks particularly hard.
A lot if going to depend on Andre Fletcher in the absence of these massive international names. Fletcher made 184 runs in the previous season but was not particularly damaging to the other teams.
His strike-rate was just 115.72 and he did not get past the 50 run mark even once.
Players like Mohammad Nabi, Rakheem Cornwall, Darren Sammy, Kavem Hodge, and Leniko Boucher are going to have to step it up and really play a central role. Without knowing the replacements that the Zouks are able to get, the current state of the batting lineup is pretty poor.
The bowling attack is pretty good. They have four of the more promising bowlers in the Caribbean right now. Kesrick Williams and Obed McCoy are excellent T20 bowlers while Rakheem Cornwall and Mohammad Nabi form a good spin duo.
Chemar Holder was in the Test squad against England and is believed to be someone that can generate a bit of extra pace.
The international quality to lift this squad to the world-class level is missing. Yes, there are a few promising West Indian players but without some excellent replacements for the players they lost, the St. Lucia Zouks could be in for a tough edition of the CPL.
Strengths
- Promising bowling attack with talented West Indian bowlers
- Powerful batsmen capable of clearing the boundaries
Weaknesses
- Three of their overseas South African players have had to pull out due to travel restrictions
- The batting looks a bit light on depth
Trinbago Knight Riders CPL 2020 Preview
- CPL 2019 Result: 3rd ( 4 W, 5 L, 1 NR)
- Players To Watch Out For: Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine
The 2019 CPL season was one of the more disappointing ones that the Trinbago Knight Riders ended up having. They should have been able to do much better with the resources they had at their disposal and they will be hoping for an improved performance this time around.
Leading the charge is going to be Kieron Pollard. He is the best T20 player in the West Indies and possibly the world. His batting has been excellent, he has the power game needed, and he is a gun fielder.
Pollard does not bowl very often at the international level but does so regularly in the CPL.
He is going to have some very experienced players like Lendl Simmons, Sunil Narine, and Dwayne Bravo for support. Colin Munro was rated as one of the best batsmen in T20 cricket not too long back while Sikandar Raza is very good at this format as well.
The bowling attack has a number of very talented spinners like Khary Pierre, Fawad Ahmed, Pravin Tambe, and Sunil Narine of course. Ali Khan will be leading the pace bowling attack, an aspect where the Trinbago Knight Riders do not quite have the same quality or depth.
The talent in this team seems to be there. A lot will depend on Pollard, Munro, Bravo, and Narine. If they can hit form quickly then the Trinbago KNight Riders are going to be serious contenders this time around.
Strengths
- World-class all-rounders
- Plenty of experience
- A lot of good spinners in the squad
Weaknesses
- Pace bowling resources are thin
- Bowling attack tends to be a bit expensive on off-days
- The leading players may be a bit past their prime
About CPL
The Caribbean Premier League was launched in 2013, taking the place of the Caribbean Twenty20 competition, which itself had been launched back in 2010 and ran just four times before the Caribbean Premier League replaced it.
The Caribbean Premier League is the premier Twenty20 cricketing competition in the Caribbean, a region renowned for producing quality players and one that is well known for its love of the game. Since the beginning the Caribbean Premier League has been contested by teams from across the Caribbean, covering countries like Barbados and Jamaica, as well as St Kitts and Nevis.
The stadiums for the Caribbean Premier League are located across the Americas, ranging from Sabina Park in Jamaica to the Central Broward Regional Park, which is a purpose built cricket ground that is located in Florida, USA.
The League
The first six teams to signup for the Caribbean Premier League were:
- Jamaica Tallawahs
- Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel (later reamed the Trinbago Knight Riders)
- Barbados Tridents
- Guyana Amazon Warriors
- St Lucia Zouks
- Antigua Hawksbills
In 2015, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots joined the Caribbean Premier League as the first expansion team. This franchise is actually supported by the government of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Many of the players for this new franchise came from Antigua Hawksbills, which didn’t sign on for the 2015 Caribbean Premier League and has been a dormant franchise since them.
Seasons
The first season of the CPL was in 2013. This was won by Jamaica Tallawahs, who went on to finish third in the second season, before winning for the second time during the 2016 Caribbean Premier League. The Guyana Amazon Warriors have been one of the most consistent teams in the league and finished as the runners-up during the first two seasons and then during the fourth season.
The Trinbago Knight Riders were the surprise winners during the third season. They had finished 4th in the two seasons prior to this and few expected them to claim glory. After they did, many fans had high hopes for their team, but they followed a title in 2015 by finishing 3rd in 2016. The only other winner in the first four seasons of the Caribbean Premier League was the Barbados Tridents, who won in 2014 and then finished as the runners-up the following year.
The side that has the poorest record in the Caribbean Premier League are Antigua Hawksbills, who finished 5th and then 6th in the first two seasons, before going dormant after that. St Lucia Zouks have also had a poor showing throughout. They contested with Antigua at the bottom, finishing 6th and then 5th in this opening two seasons before finishing 5th again in 2015 and then improving with a 4th place in 2016.
Sponsors
Technically the name for the Caribbean Premier League is the Hero CPL, or at least it is as long as the Hero MotoCorp remain the sponsors. Formerly known as Hero Honda, they manufacture scooters and motorcycles in India and are one of the richest companies in the world.
The Caribbean Premier League is administered by the West Indies Cricket Board and it has a salary cap of $780,000 (this was previously $600,000).
Broadcasters
This is one of the most widely broadcasted cricket leagues. It’s not always easy to find live shows of domestic league games outside the big countries, but there is more than a fair share of networks showing this one. What’s more, all of these are free and widely available.
For instance, in the UK, you can watch the Caribbean Premier League on Dave, a channel that is available on Sky, BT, Virgin, Freeview and pretty much every other TV package. It is also shown on BT Sport, which is available as a paid channel on Sky and as a free addition to BT TV. If you’re in the United States and all surrounding territories you can watch the Caribbean Premier League on ESPN.
Other TV channels that show the Caribbean Premier League include ZIZ, CNC3, TV Guyana and the CBC, all of which are based in the Caribbean. It is also shown on TEN Sports in Pakistan, Fox Sports in Australia and Sky Sport in New Zealand. That’s pretty much it for the main ones, but there are a couple other small broadcasters and you can also find live streams online.