The Delhi Capitals have signed Shams Mulani, the Mumbai left-arm-fingerspin bowling allrounder, as a temporary like-for-like replacement for Axar Patel who has been tested positive for COVID. The Capitals have also added Aniruddha Joshi as a replacement for regular captain Shreyas Iyer, who has missed the entire IPL season due to injury.
Patel tested positive for Covid-19 six days before the start of the IPL 2021 on April 3. On March 28, he checked into the team hotel in Mumbai after arriving with a negative Covid-19 report, but later returned a positive test and was placed in isolation at a designated medical facility. Meanwhile, a delay in receiving the results of his Covid-19 tests has ruled Anrich Nortje out of Thursday’s IPL match between the Delhi Capitals and the Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai.
Mulani, 24, has played 25 T20 matches and 30 List A matches so far, but has never competed in the IPL. Recently, he was instrumental in Mumbai’s victory in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy in March. He took nine wickets in six matches at a 5.15 economy rate and scored 91 runs in three innings at an average of 30.33 and a strike rate of just under 75.
Mulani announced as replacement as Axar suffers COVID
After debuting at No.8 in this Vijay Hazare Trophy, he batted as a pinch-hitter at No.4 in the knockout stages. He scored 45 off 71 balls in the semi-finals against Karnataka and then contributed a more fluent 36 off 43 balls in the final against Uttar Pradesh.
Mulani was Mumbai’s leading wicket-taker in the 20-over Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy earlier this year, with four strikes in three matches during a disappointing campaign for the side. Mulani will now join the Capitals alongside Mumbai captain Prithvi Shaw.
Anirudhha, who is the nephew of former India spinner Sunil Joshi, has previously played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals. The 33-year-old Karnataka allrounder has appeared in 22 T20s and amassed 420 runs and six wickets.
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