IPL T20 Tactics To Win More

T20 Cricket is fast paced and game scenarios can change quickly from over to over. In a recent review of various IPL 2022 matches one thing that has stood out is that coaches and teams need to give some thought to thinking outside of the box when it comes to tactics and being prepared to change them throughout the progress of an innings. This particularly applies to batting. Most sides predoninantly set up the batting order with their key hitters listed to come in at 3, 4 and 5. If one or two wickets fall within say the first two or three overs would it not be a better tactic to switch the order so that the key hitters are not exposed early and hence avoid the “added pressure” associated with losing more early wickets. The power hitters would then still be available for the later part of an innings. The recet IPL match between the Punjab Kings and the Knight Riders saw the Kings bat first. They lost Agardwal early which meant power hitter Rajapaksa came in in the first over. He hit a quick fire 31 from only 9 deliveries but was out in the fourth over soon followed by Dhawan. This left the Kings with 16 overs to bat with 3 of their top 5 already out. Holding Rajapaksa back until over 8 to 10 would have meant that although early wickets had fallen they still had their main power hitter to come.

T20 Cricket is fast paced and action packed. Similar to football or hockey or AFL. The games ebb and flow and where this happens tactics need to be modified to suit what is happenning out in the middle. Teams leaders need be reactive and they need to be prepared to react to the fast paced changing scenarios in any given game. Player skill sets vary within a team. At diferent stages of a game diferent skill sets suit different situations. If early wickets fall bring in a player who offers run accumulation in ones or two’s but defensively offers a lower risk factor associated with being dismissed.

The key to success in T20 cricket is to pick players with a range of skillsets and to deploy them as the game situation dictates.