IPL 2022: Graeme Smith labels Warner and Nortje as match-winners for Delhi Capitals

It is good news for Delhi Capitals (DC), as it has been bolstered by the availability of Australian opener David Warner and South African pacer Anrich Nortje. The two are expected to play their 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) opening game against new team Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Match 15 at the DY Patil Sports Academy Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Thursday. Meanwhile, Graeme Smith has some praiseful words for the duo.

Warner And Nortje missed out on the opening two matches of IPL 2022 for DC due to respective reasons, as the Australian was touring Pakistan while the South African was struggling with a hip injury. Notably, it would be Warner’s first match for DC since IPL 2013, as he had begun his IPL career with Delhi Daredevils (DD) between 2009 and 2013. In IPL 2014, he was picked up by SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), as he led the side to the title win in IPL 2016 before underwhelming performances in the last two seasons led him to be released by SRH.

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Speaking to Cricket.com, Smith said, “If you have got Warner and Nortje fit and ready to go, you pick them. It’s a no-brainer. They are match-winners and could win you games single-handedly. It will add impactful players to your line-up, and that in T20s is hugely important.”

“We know Warner is not the easiest character, but if you can get him in the right frame of mind and keep him motivated, I think he could be a huge asset. We saw that in SRH. He led them from the front, and things wobbled and fell apart. [Ricky] Ponting will know him well and how to get the best out of him. He will have an obvious mindset of using Warner,” added Smith.

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Meanwhile, for the past two seasons, Nortje has been a sensation for DC, bowling at a fierce pace. However, his injuries forced him to sit out of the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Nonetheless, Smith is confident that DC’s bowling line-up with be even more robust following Nortje’s availability.

“Anrich Nortje, for me, is still a little bit of a lottery. He is coming off a major injury and hasn’t played any cricket since the T20 World Cup. They might take a longer-term view on him, and they would want someone like him to have some game-time and get better and better. He is looking fit. He is looking healthy and could be the man for them that could make a big impact. He bowls quick and can get you those big wickets. Delhi would want him into this competition as quickly as possible. Delhi has got a nice balanced attack, and if you add the pace of Nortje, I think that’s one element that has been missing in their bowling attack,” Smith concluded.