IPL 2024: Gulbadin Naib joins Delhi Capitals as Mitchell Marsh's replacement

Former Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib has been roped in by Delhi Capitals to replace the injured Mitchell Marsh for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting had confirmed on Monday, April 22 that the Australian all-rounder, Marsh, would not take any further part in the 17th edition of the cash-rich league. The experienced campaigner played only four IPL 2024 matches for the Capitals and scored just 61 runs. In three innings, he managed to pick up a solitary wicket.

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Marsh will now be replaced by another seam-bowling all-rounder, Naib, who has the experience of leading Afghanistan's white-ball sides in the past. Naib has played 82 ODIs and 64 T20Is for the Blue Tigers. In his T20I career, the 32-year-old has scored 802 runs at an average of 21.68 and a strike rate of 127.30. With the ball, he has bagged 26 wickets at an average of 31.27 and an economy rate of 8.20. He was quite impressive during the T20I series between India and Afghanistan prior to IPL 2024. The Logar-born scored 112 runs from three matches and registered two half-centuries. He had a commendable strike rate of 193.10 in the series.

Naib has been signed for his base price of INR 50 lakh. It's the first time he has been selected to represent a franchise in the cash-rich league. He is going to join a plethora of other Afghanistan players in the 10-team tournament, including stars like Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and many more.

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After a disastrous start to the ongoing season, the Rishabh Pant-led side has bounced back strongly, having won three out of their last four games. They currently have four wins from nine matches and are placed at No. 6 on the points table. The Capitals will play their next game at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi against Mumbai Indians on Saturday, April 27, in what is going to be an afternoon clash.