The Delhi Capitals received a significant boost with the return of South African speedster Anrich Nortje ahead of their second match in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Anrich Nortje joined the Delhi team leading up to their game against the Rajasthan Royals (RR).
Anrich Nortje was absent from the Delhi squad’s opening match of the tournament against the Punjab Kings. The fast bowler recently made a comeback to competitive cricket in South Africa. He is expected to be available for selection for the Capitals in the next game.
The Proteas pacer was sidelined for several key tournaments over the past year, including the 2023 ODI World Cup as well as South Africa’s home Test series against India. Nortje was also ruled out of the entire SA20 2024 season with the Pretoria Capitals (PC).
Watch – Delhi Capitals Welcome Anrich Nortje In Style
The Delhi Capitals shared a video on social media featuring Anrich Nortje announcing his return. The Delhi team players expressed excitement about Nortje’s comeback.
“Everything moved a little 𝘕𝘖𝘙𝘛𝘑𝘌 today Welcome , 𝟏𝟓𝟔.𝟐 𝐤𝐩𝐡,” wrote the caption.
Everything moved a little 𝘕𝘖𝘙𝘛𝘑𝘌 today 😉🤯
Welcome 🔙, 𝟏𝟓𝟔.𝟐 𝐤𝐩𝐡 🔥#YehHaiNayiDilli pic.twitter.com/me5uirhY30
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 25, 2024
Nortje enters the IPL after gaining valuable match practice in the CSA T20 Challenge with the Warriors. He participated in three games during the challenge, securing two wickets in total. The tearaway fast bowler returned to competitive cricket after six months.
The South African fast bowler participated in 10 matches during the IPL 2023 season for Delhi, securing an equal number of wickets. However, he hasn’t completed a full season with the team since 2020 due to recurrent injury issues.
Delhi Capitals’s Disappointing Performance vs Punjab Kings
The Delhi Capitals experienced a disappointing start to the IPL 2024 season with a four-wicket loss against the Punjab Kings. The match also saw the return of their captain, Rishabh Pant, who had been absent for 18 months due to injuries sustained in a car accident.
Rishabh Pant returned to the Delhi Capitals lineup, scoring 18 runs from 13 balls in their innings. The Delhi team ended with a total of 174 runs for the loss of nine wickets. The Punjab Kings managed to chase down the target comfortably in 19.2 overs, securing a victory.
The Delhi pacers faced challenges in their opening match in Mullanpur. Adding to their woes, Ishant Sharma exited the field after bowling just two overs due to injury. All-rounder Mitchell Marsh bowled four overs, conceding 52 runs without taking any wickets.
The Rishabh Pant-led side will take on the Rajasthan Royals in their next match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Thursday, March 28. Following their encounter with Rajasthan, Delhi will face the Chennai Super Kings in Visakhapatnam on March 31.
Delhi Capitals Squad: Rishabh Pant (c), Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, Kumar Kushagra, Ricky Bhui, Shai Hope, Prithvi Shaw, Yash Dhull, Swastik Chikara, David Warner, Pravin Dubey, Axar Patel, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Vicky Ostwal, Sumit Kumar, Anrich Nortje, Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Jhye Richardson, Rasikh Salem
Also read: Jhye Richardson set to miss 1st half of the IPL for Delhi Capitals, Anrich Nortje set to arrive in time
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