Harry Brook had opted out of England’s five-match Test series in India earlier this year. He subsequently ruled himself out of IPL 2024 to give himself time to recover from his grandmother’s unfortunate demise.

Brook was not the only major Delhi Capitals cricketer to be ruled out of IPL 2024. They also missed South African fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, who has been ruled out of the entire season due to an ankle injury. DC had replaced him with the young Australian hard-hitting batter Jake Fraser-McGurk.

As Brook’s replacement, Delhi Capitals have now drafted in medium-fast bowler Lizaad Williams, who has played 11 T20Is for South Africa, along with two Test matches and four ODIs. Williams had gone unsold at the IPL 2024 auction, and Delhi got him for his base price of INR 50 lakh.

From 83 Twenty20 matches from the 2012/13 season, Williams has 106 wickets while going at 7.79 an over. He has never played in the IPL before, but has played 12 times for the Joburg Super Kings in the SA20. From the 11 T20Is between April 2021 and December 2023, he has 16 wickets with an economy rate of 9.59.

Having conceded 272-7 against Kolkata Knight Riders and 234-5 against Mumbai Indians in their last two matches, Delhi will want to boost their bowling attack. Williams’ compatriot Anrich Nortje, their star overseas fast bowler, has gone for 13.43 an over in IPL 2024, and is the most expensive bowler of this season from any franchise with a 10-over cut-off.

With two points (against Chennai Super Kings) and a net run rate of -1.370 from five matches, Delhi currently languish at the bottom of the IPL 2024 points table. They next play the Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on April 12.