Delhi Capitals have roped in young Mumbai left-arm spinner Shams Mulani as the IPL's first short term COVID-19 replacement for Axar Patel, who is yet to recover from the dreaded virus and still in a medical care facility.
The franchise had substituted injured captain Shreyas Iyer with Karnataka off-spinner Aniruddha Joshi earlier.
However, a statement from the IPL does not have any mention about pacer Anrich Nortje's RT-PCR result, which is believed to be positive.
"Delhi Capitals have brought in Shams Mulani as a short-term COVID-19 replacement for Axar Patel for their IPL-2021 campaign," the statement read.
"Axar had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus during his mandatory quarantine ahead of the season and was subsequently taken to BCCI's medical facility for isolation and treatment," it added.
Axar tested positive for COVID-19 on April 3 and was transferred to BCCI's designated medical facility after it was learnt that he showed mild symptoms.
It's already 12 days since and understood that since the India international will not be available for match duty any time soon Mulani was inducted.
Mulani is a left-hand lower middle-order batsman and slow left-arm orthodox bowler. The 24-year-old has an economy rate of 6.92 in 25 T20 games and a highest score of 73.
He will not be permitted to represent another IPL franchise this season once he leaves Delhi Capitals.
Under IPL's Player Regulations. 6.1 (c), franchises are allowed to sign a short-term replacement player until the original squad member is permitted to re-enter the team's bio-secure environment.
"Hence, Mulani will only be part of Delhi Capitals till Axar recovers and is allowed to join the team."
Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals also signed up Anirudha Joshi as a replacement for the injured Shreyas Iyer for the remainder of the IPL.
Iyer was ruled out of the tournament after sustaining a shoulder dislocation during the recent India-England ODI series.
Joshi, a middle-order batsman and off-spinner, joins his third IPL team, having been a part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals in the past.
He represents Karnataka in domestic cricket and has featured in 17 List A and 22 T20 matches so far.
