Delhi's Harshal ruled out of IPL due to injury

Delhi Capitals will be without the services of medium pacer Harshal Patel who has been ruled out of the season due to hand injury, head coach Ricky Ponting said on the eve of their tie against Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday.

"Harshal Patel ruled out of the tournament. He has suffered a fracture in his right hand in the game against Kings XI. It took us a few days to get to the bottom of that fracture. He has had some X-rays. It's a three-four week injury," Ponting told reporters at Eden Gardens.

Patel featured in two out of the 6 games for the Delhi-based outfit this season, picking up two wickets for 40 runs in the tied game against KKR, in which Delhi won in the super over and conceded 37 runs for no wickets in the 14-run dramatic loss against the Kings XI Punjab in Mohali.

Ponting further said U-19 World Cup winner Manjot Kalra is also nursing a niggle and will pass a fitness test ahead of KKR game.

"Manjot Kalra has had a niggle in his right arm as well for the first part of this tournament. So we need him to pass a full fitness test today," the former Australia captain said.

Opener Kalra has not played a game for Delhi so far.

At the nets on Thursday, the likes of Manoj Tiwary were seen sweating it out among others.

"That's the reason we have got as many guys here on trial," Ponting said.

Delhi has had a mixed campaign so far losing three times in 6 games and languishing at sixth in the points table with six points.

--IANS

dm/pgh/