The cricket World is full of surprises and some enormous talents. The cricket stars across the globe never fails to surprise the fans. In this list, Allah Ghazanfar, the Afghan mystery bowler is the newest addition. The Afghan youngster first grabbed the limelight when KKR named him in the squad as his fellow countryman Mujeeb ur Rahman’s replacement. In the ongoing series against South Africa, he showcased his magical bowling ability. Let’s explore who is the sensational bowler who grabbed the attention with his exceptional bowling ability.
Who is Allah Ghazanfar?
Allah Ghazanfar was born in Paktia province, Afghanistan. He was signed by the Mis Ainak Knights, one of Afghanistan‘s eight regional first-class teams. Known for his ability to spin the ball both ways, Ghazanfar quickly made a name for himself as a skilled finger spinner.
His talent was first recognized during the U19 World Cup earlier this year, where he took eight wickets at an average of 16.75. This performance led to his call-up to the Afghanistan senior team for their tour of Ireland in March.
Ghazanfar made his ODI debut at just 16 years and 236 days old, becoming the youngest ever player to debut for Afghanistan and the fifth youngest for any Full Member nation. To date, he has played six List A matches, claiming four wickets, and three T20 matches.
Kolkata Knight Riders Roped With Ghazanfar:
Mujeeb Ur Rahman is sidelined due to an injury for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. As a result, the Kolkata Knight Riders needed a replacement for the star bowler. They have brought in Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, a right-arm off-spinner from Afghanistan, to fill the gap left by Mujeeb. Ghazanfar was acquired at his base price of Rs 20 lakh.
Although Ghazanfar did not play in the recently concluded season, he attracted significant attention during this crucial phase of his career. His performance and potential have made him a valuable addition to the Kolkata Knight Riders squad.
Exceptional Bowling Display Against South Africa:
After the one-off Test against New Zealand was abandoned, Afghanistan is facing South Africa in a three-match ODI series. After winning the toss, South Africa opted to bat first. The decision becomes questionable when the Afghan bowlers start showcasing their excellence. Among all, Allah Ghazanfar grabbed the attention.
He started the bowling attack by taking the second over of the first innings. He bowled efficiently, allowing only three runs off his over. Facing Tristan Stubbs, who had not yet scored, Ghazanfar delivered a ball on off stump that turned away. Stubbs edged it, and Mohammad Nabi took the catch.
In his next over, Ghazanfar bowled to Jason Smith and claimed his second wicket with the final ball of the over. He continued his successful spell by dismissing Kyle Verreynne with the second ball of his following over. Verreynne was confused by the ball’s movement and was trapped lbw by one that turned back in, beating his inside edge.
Ghazanfar concluded his spell by conceding 20 runs and taking 3 wickets. He maintained an impressive economy rate of 2.00, showcasing his skill and control on the field. With this young gun, Afghanistan finds a new bowling superstar with whom the future of the team will be in safe hands.
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