The Indian Premier League is all set to resume from 17th May after being suspended for a week due to the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. Now the two countries have agreed on a ceasefire, and the biggest cricket league is all set to complete the remainder of the tournament. Delhi Capitals, who are still in the playoffs race, are having a mixed season, as they were on top of the points table at the halfway mark, but now they have slipped to the 5th position. DC is finding it difficult to convince their foreign players to return for the remaining tournament, as most of the players flew back to their countries after the suspension. Jake Fraser-McGurk, the dangerous DC opener who was having a really bad season with the bat, has announced that he will not be joining the team, and DC has named Bangladesh international Mustafizur Rehman as his replacement for the rest of the season.
#BoycottDelhiCapitals trends on Twitter
Delhi Capitals have faced a lot of backlash on social media from the netizens after the signing of Mustafizur Rehman, as some people think that bringing a Bangladesh bowler does not go well with the current geopolitical situation, referring to the narrative of Hindus getting exploited in Bangladesh. Some people are also claiming that Bangladesh backed Pakistan in the recent conflict, and that’s why no player from Bangladesh should be involved. Fizz will join the Delhi Capitals team after the completion of the T20Is in the UAE. Fizz has been a part of IPL since 2016. He has been a part of SRH, CSK, MI, and RR before.
Fizz a replacement for Starc?
Delhi Capitals main pacer this season has been the Aussie great Mitchell Starc and his availability in the rest of the IPL is currently uncertain and it looks like DC has prepared themselves in adavance by signing the Bangladesh international Mustafizur Rahman who performed really well for Chennai Super Kings last season where he took 14 wickets in just 9 matches. Fizz has been announced as a replacement for JFM, who is a batter, and due to Starc’s availability, still a doubt whether Fizz can be valuable to the Delhi Capitals in the final stages of the tournament.
What's next for DC?
The Delhi boys will be back on the field on 18th May against the strong Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi and will be looking to restart the tournament on a strong note. After this match, Delhi will be travelling to Mumbai to face MI on 21st May. Delhi Capitals will play their final league match against Punjab Kings in Jaipur. This match will be restarted from the first ball as the previous outing between the two teams was abandoned after 10 overs due to a blackout in Dharamshala. This comes as a blessing in disguise for the Capitals as PBKS were 122-1 after 10 overs and were ahead of the Capitals when the match was stopped. The situation is very simple for the Capitals. If you win, you qualify for the playoffs, whereas a loss at this stage of the tournament will make the Delhi boys pack their bags and leave for home.
About the Author
Arpit Sharma is a sports writer and journalism student at Chandigarh University, with a strong interest in sports analysis and storytelling. His writing combines match insights with a fresh, fan-first perspective that brings the game to life.
Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Vygr's views.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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