IPL 2020 | Delhi wouldn’t have traded Trent Boult if they knew IPL was in UAE, states Virender Sehwag

Just before the 2020 IPL season, Delhi Capitals successfully traded Kiwi pacer, Trent Boult, to Mumbai Indians in an all-cash deal. Last season at the Kotla, the left-arm pacer only managed to pick up five wickets, with a relatively poor IPL past record, which tempted the franchise to look for options elsewhere. For the Mumbai Indians, it was a move that would have worked either way, even if the IPL happened in India, given the swinging conditions in Wankhede early on. 

Former Delhi Capitals player turned cricket expert Virender Sehwag stated that the franchise wouldn’t have traded Trent Boult to Mumbai had they known that the IPL was going to be played in the United Arab Emirates. This season, representing the Mumbai Indians, the Kiwi pacer picked up 25 wickets, including scalping 16 powerplay wickets to light the tournament up with his swing bowling. On top of that, Boult put up two incredible performances against Delhi, which hurt their chances of winning their maiden IPL. 

“IPL was to take place in India, so maybe that’s why Delhi let go of him. If Delhi had known that the IPL will happen in Dubai, then they might not have let go of Boult, because in Dubai, fast bowlers definitely get some help. Because the weather has started going slightly colder, so the ball started swinging as well,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.

However, Sehwag also slammed the franchise for allowing several match-winners to walk away from the Kotla, including AB de Villiers, David Warner, and Glenn Maxwell, all of whom have had immediate success elsewhere. Incidentally, Sehwag during his latter years as a player too walked away from the franchise, joining Kings XI Punjab, in one of their best seasons in the tournament’s history where they reached the final in 2014. 

“Trent Boult is not the only player which Delhi Capitals have let go of. They let AB de Villiers go who has done wonders for Royal Challengers Bangalore. When they play against Sunrisers Hyderabad, they let go of David Warner. When they play against Kings XI Punjab, they let Glenn Maxwell go. There are too many players which Delhi bought, and created and then they let go. Trent Boult is one of them,” Sehwag added.