For years, the English Premier League and the Indian Premier League have been the gold standard in football and cricket respectively. The leagues have played a major role in transforming and changing the landscapes of the two sports. But the competitions have a lot more in common than just having similar names and providing guaranteed entertainment with thrills and spills aplenty in each game. From billionaire owners, mammoth television rights deals and packed stadiums to world-class players, unpredictable action and nail-biting matches, it is easy to spot a number of parallels between the Indian Premier League and the English Premier League.

Taking a closer look at the teams in the two leagues, we can see a number of similarities and uncanny resemblances. Here we look at the eight IPL teams and the EPL teams that they most closely resemble.

Mumbai Indians – Manchester City

Starting with the winners of the 2019 edition of the Indian Premier League, it is very easy to see the link between Mumbai Indians and Manchester City, not least because the two teams wear blue and have achieved incredible success in recent years. Both teams have incredibly rich, albeit controversial owners, who aren’t afraid of spending big money on quality players. When watching these two teams, you are guaranteed to see world class players in action all over the pitch.

Both teams had to endure a long wait before winning their first title. Manchester City first lifted the English Premier League trophy in 2012, and Mumbai Indians won their first title one year later. Since then, the two have had a lot of success, winning their leagues four times each.

The two teams also won their last titles on the same day, as Manchester City were crowned English Premier League champions and Mumbai Indians won the Indian Premier League, both on 12 May, 2019. And the similarities don’t stop there, as Manchester City won the EPL by one point, while Mumbai Indians won the IPL final by one run.

Chennai Super Kings – Liverpool

Chennai Super Kings have been the most consistent team in IPL history, having at least made the semi-final in every edition of the competition so far. They have a lot of similarities with a number of Premier League teams, but the closest fit would be to Liverpool. Like CSK, Liverpool have one of the most loyal and vocal fanbases in all of football.

The Merseyside based club has won the most trophies in English football, and the Tamil Nadu based franchise has been the most successful of all IPL teams with two Champions League Twenty20 titles to go along with their three IPL wins. Both teams have also had more than their fair share of near misses, coming ever so close yet missing out on silverware on a number of occasions.

Both Chennai Super Kings and Liverpool are also known for producing close, thrilling games and are famous for making astonishing comebacks out of nowhere.

Royal Challengers Bangalore – Manchester United

Two big city teams that wear red and have world class players but struggle to compete for the top honours, Royal Challengers Bangalore and present-day Manchester United have a lot in common. Both teams have among the most loyal fanbases in their respective leagues and play their games at iconic stadiums.

Both Royal Challengers Bangalore and Manchester United also have a history of spending big money on established, top quality players that are capable of producing match-winning moments on their own. Bangalore’s batting line-up can make even the best of bowling attacks look like amateurs. While Manchester United have one of the world’s most potent strike forces.

However, despite their quality, Bangalore have never won the Indian Premier League and always seem to struggle when it matters the most. Manchester United may have a successful history, but their fall from grace since 2013 have been well documented. Both teams seem to lack quality depth in their ranks, and it doesn’t look like their fortunes will be changing any time soon.

Sunrisers Hyderabad – Tottenham Hotspur

Sunrisers Hyderabad were a late arrival to the IPL but have a fairly consistent record, having reached the play-offs in all but two of the seasons they have played in. They won the tournament in 2016, but haven’t been able to replicate that feat since. While winning is not something Tottenham Hotspur have ever been associated with, they have been one of the most consistent teams in the English Premier League in recent years.

The two share a number of similarities, as they are both well run teams that look for shrewd and smart signings instead of paying big money for established players. This model has proven to be effective for both, and has led to consistent showings and top four finishes.

Both teams also heavily rely on their star men, with David Warner and Kane Williamson being the key players for the Sunrisers, and Harry Kane and Heung Min Son often being the difference makers for Tottenham. This reliance often leads to inconsistent performers, but they are almost always tough to beat for their opponents.

With Trevor Bayliss and Jose Mourinho at the helm, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Tottenham Hotspur have two coaches with great pedigree who have won a lot of titles between them.

Delhi Capitals – Wolverhampton Wanderers

After years of struggle, Delhi Capitals finished third last season and look to be on course to become one of the most exciting teams in the league over the coming years. Much like the Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Premier League, who have enjoyed a remarkable rise since their change in ownership.

Both teams have a number of promising young stars, who are rated very highly and coveted by the bigger teams. And in Ricky Ponting and Nuno Espirito Santo, they also have two exciting coaches who have a very bright future ahead of them.

The two teams have a rather underwhelming history and have blown hot and cold in the past. But with a number of exciting talents in their rosters, complemented by experienced campaigners, they could take big strides in the coming season.

Kolkata Knight Riders – Chelsea

The Kolkata Knight Riders have a lot in common with Chelsea. Both teams have almost always been there or thereabouts when it comes to being in the top four. They have tasted a lot of success too, with Kolkata winning two IPL titles, and Chelsea lifting the Premier League trophy five times. But they have also been plagued by inconsistency, with successful seasons often being followed by disappointing campaigns.

The owners of Kolkata and Chelsea aren’t afraid of spending big money on quality players and revamping their squads when the need arises. On the back of a few disappointing seasons, both teams have been splashing the cash ahead of the new season. And with all the talent on show, we will likely see some much improved performances from the two teams this season.

Kings XI Punjab – Everton

Kings XI Punjab have had a number of exciting players in their ranks over the years, but they have made the final only once in their IPL history. Much like Everton, who struggle to perform consistently and break into the top four despite their heavy spending.

Everton haven’t won a trophy since the turn of the century while the Kings XI Punjab have yet to win the IPL. Through years of misspending, both teams have a number players that are either not good enough, past their prime or over-hyped. But both squads also have some talented players who have proven to be game changers.

Despite their lack of success, Everton and Kings XI Punjab are both exciting to watch, often play with a proactive approach and tend to produce memorable moments almost every year despite falling short.

Rajasthan Royals – Arsenal

It would be easy to compare the Rajasthan Royals with Leicester City, since both teams beat the odds to win a title a while ago. However, that’s where the similarities start and end between the two.

A more accurate comparison for Rajasthan Royals would be Arsenal, who have a fairly strong squad but often struggle to make the top four. Rajasthan Royals have some of the game’s best players in their ranks, including Steven Smith, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. However, other than that, the majority of their roster seems to be lacking the quality needed to compete with the big teams. Similarly, Arsenal have Pierre Emerick Aubameyang as their star striker. But the rest of the squad is not good enough to fight for a place in the top four.

Another similarity between the two is that their head coaches, Andrew McDonald and Mikel Arteta, started off as assistants and are now considered to be two of their respective sport’s most highly rated coaches.

Both Rajasthan and Arsenal are over-dependant on their star players, and if they fail to perform, the team fails to win more often than not.

IPL teams and their EPL counterparts