IPL 2021: Delhi Capitals Await Reports Of Second RT-PCR Tests Of Kagiso Rabada And Anrich Nortje

The Delhi Capitals (DC) are fretting over the availability of their South African speedsters Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada after reports suggested that Nortje tested positive for the COVID-19 and are awaiting the results of second RT-PCR tests of both the players.

DC started their IPL 2021 on a very good note, defeating three-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their tournament opener. Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw were the main destroyers with the bat as they chased down the 189-run target with ease as the openers added 138 runs for the first wicket.

The DC team will now face Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Mumbai on April 15 and though both Nortje and Rabada completed their quarantine period after coming from South Africa, it has been reported that they will miss the encounter against the Sanju Samson-led side.

DC Awaits Second Test Report To Rule Out False Positives In The Case Of Kagiso Rabada And Anrich Nortje

There are reports that Nortje has tested positive but Delhi Capitals management hasn’t yet come out with any official statement. As per the IPL SOP, all players who have a positive result are tested once again in order to ensure that the first RT-PCR outcome wasn’t a false one.

Both Rabada and Nortje reached Mumbai on April 6 and went into the mandatory 7-day quarantine. They were supposed to be available from the second game after the completion of their seven days of hard quarantine and a negative RT-PCR result.

“At this point, we only know that Anrich Nortje’s results are awaited as he is in quarantine. We can only tell you further after we get the test results,” a DC source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

It is being understood that DC is waiting for an official confirmation to rule out false-positive something that happened in the case of Kolkata Knight Riders batsman Nitish Rana. Rana had first tested positive after joining the KKR camp but his next RT-PCR result turned out to be negative.

Apart from Nortje and Rabada, DC will also miss the services of Axar Patel, who tested positive for COVID-19 and has been in isolation. It has been reported that the all-rounder is yet to recover fully from the virus.

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