Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar Explained

Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar
Birth Place:Paktia Province, Afghanistan
Country:Afghanistan
Height:6 ft 2 in
Batting:Right-handed
Bowling:Right arm off spin
Role:Bowler
International:true
Internationalspan:2024–present
Odidebutdate:7 March
Odidebutyear:2024
Odidebutagainst:Ireland
Odicap:59
Lastodidate:12 March
Lastodiyear:2024
Lastodiagainst:Ireland
Club1:Mis Ainak Knights
Year1:2022
Club2:Rawalpindi Raiders
Year2:2022
Column1:ODI
Matches1:2
Runs1:5
Bat Avg1:5.00
100S/50S1:0/0
Top Score1:5
Deliveries1:54
Wickets1:0
Bowl Avg1:
Fivefor1:0
Tenfor1:0
Best Bowling1:
Catches/Stumpings1:1/0
Column2:LA
Matches2:6
Runs2:18
Bat Avg2:3.60
100S/50S2:0/0
Top Score2:18
Deliveries2:264
Wickets2:4
Bowl Avg2:51.50
Fivefor2:0
Tenfor2:0
Best Bowling2:3/36
Catches/Stumpings2:1/0
Column3:T20
Matches3:3
Runs3:1
Bat Avg3:1.00
100S/50S3:0/0
Top Score3:1
Deliveries3:54
Wickets3:5
Bowl Avg3:11.20
Fivefor3:0
Tenfor3:0
Best Bowling3:4/15
Catches/Stumpings3:0/0
Date:18 April 2024
Source:https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/allah-ghazanfar-1326798 ESPNcricinfo

Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar (born 15 July 2007) is an Afghan cricketer, who has represented the national side. He has played for Mis Ainak Knights in the Afghan Shpageeza Cricket League, and Rawalpindi Raiders in the Pakistan Junior League. He was selected for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2024 Indian Premier League, and the Colombo Strikers for the 2024 Lanka Premier League.

Personal life

Ghazanfar is from Paktia Province, Afghanistan. He has five older brothers, and as of 2022, he lived in Kabul.[1]

Domestic and franchise career

Ghazanfar started playing cricket in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] He began as a fast bowler,[1] and is now an off-spinner. He bowls finger spin,[3] due to him receiving teachings on spin bowling by former Afghanistan captain Dawlat Ahmadzai.[1] His bowling technique has been compared to Afghan international Mujeeb Zadran.[1] Ghazanfar trains at the Mirza Mohammad Katawazai Cricket Centre in Kabul,[4] and has trained with the Afghanistan national under-19 cricket team.[1]

Ghazanfar has played for the Mis Ainak Knights in the Afghan Shpageeza Cricket League.[4] On his debut, he took 1/27 in 4 overs, and he took four wickets in his second appearance.[3] In 2022, he played for Rawalpindi Raiders in the Pakistan Junior League; he was one of 12 overseas players in the competition.[5] He was included in the draft for the 2022–23 Big Bash League season, but was not selected.[1] [6] He was included in the Far Western United team for the inaugural season of the Nepal T20 League.[7] At the age of 15, Ghazanfar was included in the auction for the 2023 Indian Premier League.[4] He was the youngest player entered into that year's auction,[3] and his base price for the auction was .[1] [3] He went unsold in the auction.[8]

In March 2024, Ghazanfar was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders to play for them in the 2024 Indian Premier League at a base price of, as a replacement for Mujeeb Ur Rahman.[9] A few days beforehand, Mumbai Indians had tried to sign him to be a nets bowler, but he was unable to get a visa to perform that role for them.[2] He was selected by Colombo Strikers for the 2024 Lanka Premier League season.[10]

International career

In 2023, Ghazanfar played for Junior Champions (a team of representatives from the Afghanistan under-19 national team) in the Green Afghanistan One Day Cup.[11]

He was part of the 15-man Afghanistan squad for the 2024 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.[12] In the game against New Zealand, he picked up 3 wickets for 29 runs.[13]

Ghazanfar made his debut for the Afghanistan senior team in their series against Ireland, at the age of at the age of 16 years and 236 days.[14]

Notes and References

  1. Who is Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, 15-year-old Afghanistan spinner who has signed up for IPL 2023 auction. Sportstar. 13 December 2022. 14 December 2022.
  2. News: From missing out on a chance to be MI's net bowler to KKR: Allah's story. New Indian Express. 29 March 2024. 18 April 2024.
  3. Web site: Who is 15-year-old Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, the youngest cricketer in the IPL 2023 auction shortlist?. Wisden. 14 December 2022. 14 December 2022.
  4. Web site: Afghan Prodigy & UAE's Hat-Trick Star Among 405 Shortlisted for 2023 IPL Auction. The Quint. 14 December 2022. 14 December 2022.
  5. Web site: 12 Pakistan Junior League foreign players reach Lahore. Cric Wick. 29 September 2022. 14 December 2022.
  6. News: Meet This 15-Year Old Afghanistan Spinner Who Is Youngest Ever to Register in IPL 2023 Auctions. News18. 14 December 2022. 14 December 2022.
  7. Web site: A host of international talents to take part in Nepal T20 League. Online Khabar. 12 September 2022. 14 December 2022.
  8. Web site: TATA IPL 2023 Player Auction. Indian Premier League. 23 December 2022. 30 December 2022.
  9. News: IPL 2024: KKR names Allah Ghazanfar Mujeeb Ur Rahman's replacement; Keshav Maharaj joins RR in place of Prasidh Krishna. Sports Star. 28 March 2024. 28 March 2024.
  10. Lanka Premier League 2024: Colombo Strikers Gear Up For The Upcoming Edition - Check Full Squad. Outlook. 1 July 2024. 3 July 2024.
  11. Web site: Afghanistan: One Day cricket cup underway in Khost. Amu TV. 13 May 2023. 25 May 2023.
  12. Web site: ACB Name Squad for the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2024 . Afghanistan Cricket Board. 10 January 2024.
  13. Web site: AFG19 vs NZ19, ICC Under-19 World Cup 2023/24, 11th Match, Group D at East London, January 23, 2024 – Full Scorecard . 2024-02-07 . ESPNcricinfo . en.
  14. Web site: All you need to know about Allah Ghazanfar, KKR’s 16-year-old mystery spin recruit. Wisden. 29 March 2024. 18 April 2024.