The Delhi Capitals have signed South African speedster Lizaad Williams to play for the rest of the season in lieu of Harry Brook.
Lizaad Williams has been recruited by the Delhi Capitals (DC) to play with Harry Brook for the balance of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
Following the death of his grandmother, the England batter withdrew from the 17th edition of the lucrative league a few days before it started. The Capitals paid INR 4 crore to obtain Brook’s services during the IPL 2024 auction last year. The Caps delayed announcing his successor after he chose to skip IPL 2024 in order to spend more time with his bereaved family.
But the Rishabh Pant-led team brought in South African pacer Lizaad Williams to take Brook’s place on Monday, April 8. The right-arm pacer, who made his debut for the Proteas in 2021, has played for the team in all three game forms. Williams has taken three, five, and sixteen wickets in two Tests, four ODIs, and eleven Twenty20 Internationals. In December of last year, he participated in his final international match during the ODI series against India.
The 30-year-old can bowl at a raw pace, regularly reaching speeds of about 140 kph. He was called up to South Africa’s 15-man team for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, taking Anrich Norte’s position due to injury.
See Also: IPL2024: Romario Shepherd discusses his thoughts following a ferocious performance against the Delhi Capitals
Can the Delhi Capitals make a difference?
The Capitals would have hoped for a resurgence this season after placing ninth on the points table the previous season. Their confidence must have grown greatly with Rishabh Pant’s comeback. But the Delhi-based team hasn’t been able to play cohesively, as they’ve lost four of their first five games.
They lost to the Mumbai Indians by 29 runs on Sunday, April 7, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The reigning five-time champions entered this match having lost their opening three IPL 2024 matches. The hosts secured their first victory of the season by restricting the Capitals to 205/8 after they amassed 234/5 in their 20 overs.
See Also: IPL 2024 Qualification Prospects: How may MI’s victory over DC allow the Delhi Capitals to advance to the playoffs?
The Capitals would need to make a big comeback since their window of opportunity is increasingly closing. Their next game is scheduled for Friday, April 12 in Lucknow, where they will play the Lucknow Super Giants. Currently, they are wallowing at the bottom of the standings.
