IPL 2021: Steve Smith joins Delhi Capitals in Mumbai
Apr 03, 2021
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 3 : Australi batsman Steve Smith on Saturday arrived at the team hotel here in Mumbai and will be spending a week in quarantine.
Taking to Twitter Delhi Capitals wrote, "2 monumental icons in one frame. Welcome to the DC family, @stevesmith49 #YehHaiNayiDilli."
Smith had penned an emotional note for wife Dani Willis before he left the Australian shores on Thursday to join the Delhi Capitals camp.
"Thanks for seeing me off at the airport @dani_willis I love you and am going to miss you lots! See you soon @delhicapitals," Smith had captioned the post on Instagram.
Ahead of their tournament opener against Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals has suffered a huge blow as all-rounder Axar Patel has tested positive for COVID-19.
Speaking to ANI, sources in the DC camp confirmed the development. "Unfortunately, Axar has tested positive. He is isolating and all protocols are being followed," the source said.
Axar is the second player after Kolkata Knight Riders batsman Nitish Rana to test positive for the virus. Rana though tested negative for coronavirus on Thursday after returning a positive result on March 22. Having undergone self-isolation after the positive result, he underwent a COVID-19 test on Thursday and tested negative.
The BCCI SOP says a player who tests positive for COVID-19 must isolate in the designated area outside the bio-secure environment for a minimum of 10 days from the first day of symptoms or the date of collection of the sample which resulted in a positive RT-PCR report, whichever is earlier.
Things haven't looked too bright in Mumbai with groundstaff at the Wankhede Stadium testing positive for coronavirus. With cases rising in the state of Maharashtra, IPL franchises have started feeling a little wary and are keeping fingers crossed with the 14th edition of the league set to get underway from April 9. Wankhede is set to host 10 IPL games this season from April 10-25. The first match at the Mumbai stadium is slated to be played on April 10 between Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings.
