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Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant made one major change in the side for the second qualifier against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Pant brought back fit-again Marcus Stoinis into the side replacing England’s bowling all-rounder Tom Curran who played his first match of the second leg against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the first qualifier.
Stoinis was injured in the first match of the second phase of IPL 2021. The hamstring injury prevented him for participating in all of Capitals’ league matches. In the previous season, Stoinis played a crucial role in the team’s journey to their first IPL final. However, he has not been in the best of forms this season.
“We needed an extra batsman, so Stoinis comes in. Tom Curran is out. We are in great frame of mind, always exciting to play together, looking to have fun during the match also,” Pant said at the coin toss.
Curran, who missed out of the side after failing to defend 13 runs against CSK skipper MS Dhoni in first qualifier. However, the English fast bowler took three crucial wickets before the Dhoni onslaught in the final over.
Earlier, KKR skipper Eoin Morgan won the toss and opted to bowl first. Morgan did not make a single change in the side. There were clouds over Shakib Al Hasan’s participation in the match but Morgan announced at the toss that KKR will be fielding the same side.
“We have played a few games here at Sharjah, so far it's worked. There might be dew factor later on. We have kept the same side. We are playing some good cricket at the moment, we are confident as a side. Guys know their roles inside out, so hoping to come here today and produce something close to that. Playing DC will be a good test. The mindset that we have had throughout the second phase has been spot-on, guys have looked to play aggressive, smart cricket, which is great,” the KKR captain said.
