Cricket quite unexpectedly took to franchise route in 2008. It followed the way of Football. The sport saw commercialisation with the advent of the Indian Premier League (IPL). This move was closely linked to cricket taking the shape of football’s franchise model. The IPL is now to cricket what EPL is to football.

We at StumpsandBails bring to you 5 IPL teams and their EPL equivalents:

#5 Royal Challengers Bangalore-Tottenham Hotspur

The Royal Challengers Bangalore and Tottenham Hotspur have underachievement in common. These teams often flatter to deceive with the kind of talent they possess at their disposal. RCB and Hotspur often wilt under pressure. They are reliant on star players in their team to deliver. Hotspur relies on Harry Kane as RCB relies on Virat Kohli. The similarity is eerie!

#4 Kolkata Knight Riders-Chelsea

The team owners create a lot of buzz for both Kolkata Knight Riders and Chelsea. These two teams had a parallel run of glory in their respective title-winning campaigns. Chelsea won 2016-17 season winning 13 games on the trot. KKR on the other hand won 9 games in a row in 2014 to emerge champions.

#3 Sunrisers Hyderabad-Arsenal

The Sunrisers Hyderabad is one IPL team that always punches above its weight. They are one of the most respected sides in the league. Their team bonding and work ethics are exemplary. They have a lot of traits as a team that is similar to the much-loved EPL club, Arsenal.

#2 Chennai Super Kings-Liverpool

Chennai Super Kings are arguably the most consistent IPL team. Up until 2019, they qualified for playoffs every time they played. CSK had an indifferent IPL 2020. They failed to qualify for the playoffs first time in 13 seasons. But this didn’t dim their popularity one bit. Similar to Liverpool, they have a diehard fan base. The fans of both these clubs swear by their teams.

#1 Mumbai Indians-Manchester United

Mumbai Indians are the most successful IPL team. They have won 5 IPL titles. MI boasts of having the most followers on social media. Their fan frenzy is similar to the one Manchester United has. Manchester United (MU) just like MI is the most successful team of EPL. It has 20 titles to its name. Their styles of play are pretty similar too. Both these teams start slowly and finally come out all guns blazing.