Is it the Mumbai Premier League?

Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

IPL 2020 concluded reasonably well despite all the uncertainties amid the Covid-19 pandemic. There was, however, nothing uncertain about the way Mumbai Indians cruised to the Championship.

They played the way Mumbai always does – focusing on the process and letting the results take care of themselves.

They did not defy any odds or pull off any miracles, for they were always in contention to win the title. They just went ahead and took, with both hands, what was rightfully theirs, and nobody seemed to be able to stop them.

Mumbai Indians is a typical example of organizational success.

Their wins are made as much on the ground as off it. Their batting, bowling, fielding, and even the captaincy decisions are a product of thorough analysis that goes on behind the scenes.

Everyone in Mumbai Indians looked so sure of their role in the team that eventually everybody turned out to be a matchwinner.

SINHA, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

If De Kock didn’t fire, Rohit did. If the openers did do well, Surya Kumar Yadav stole the show. When they got a good start up front, Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard went berserk at the death.

When they needed wickets, Bumrah was always there. Krunal looked a much better bowler than he is while Rahul Chahar leveled up.

The pre-auction trade of Trent Boult proved so pivotal to their success this season.

While Bumrah got wickets at will, Boult took it upon himself to dismantle the opposition in the powerplays. But none of this ever seemed to happen as a chance.

The oppositions knew what they were up against, and they still couldn’t do anything to stop the Mumbai Indians onslaught. That’s the power you can’t buy!

Kamalakanta777, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Mumbai Indians were just ahead of everybody else. They held isolated practice camps when it wasn’t even sure whether IPL will happen this year. They traded in the players they needed.

They made sure everyone understands their role. That’s how Quinton de Kock and Trent Boult looked like completely different players with Mumbai Indians than they were with other franchises.

Mumbai Indians were logical, but they were bold as well. In the finals, they showed who’s the boss.

While Delhi just played out MI’s best bowler Jasprit Bumrah, in response, de Kock destroyed Delhi’s best bowler Kagiso Rabada to seal the IPL final in the powerplays.

It will be interesting to see if this team continues its legacy and adds to their 5 championships in years to come. With a setup and chemistry like this, anything could be possible.

After all - there were no other contenders this season. It was all Mumbai Indians.