IPL 2019: 5 Afghanistan players who can set the auction on fire

Afghanistan cricket has grown leaps and bounds in the last few years and some of their players have also honed their skills in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL). Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi became the first two players to get picked in the prestigious tournament. The duo has done to such an extent that they have been retained by the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) ahead of next edition’s auction. However, a number of other Afghan cricketers have also come to the fore and they haven’t flattered to deceive by any stretch of the imagination. Their players are known to tread the fearless approach and their intent has earned them with a number of laurels. A few of them can also attract significant bids in the IPL. In our article, we take a look at five of their players for whom the franchises can go berserk. Shafiqullah Shafiq Afghanistan’s Shafiqullah Shafaq. (Photo by PRAKASH SINGH/AFP/Getty Images) Shafiqullah Shafiq hasn’t played a whole lot of international cricket, but that doesn’t undermine the fact that he is amongst the most destructive batsmen in Afghanistan. He mostly bats lower down the order and is someone, who doesn’t mind throwing his bat to inject impetus into the innings. He has played 41 T20Is and 24 ODIs for Afghanistan and has a strike-rate of 105.39 and 145.33 respectively. Recently, the Nangarhar-born wicketkeeper-batsman plied his trade for Nangarhar Leopards in the inaugural edition of the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) and turned out with some short, yet match-winning knocks. The right-hander has also done well for Shahid Afridi-captained Pakhtoons in the 2018 T10 League. On batting friendly Indian pitches, Shafiq can turn out to be a handy prospect. Mohammad Shahzad Mohammad Shahzad. (Photo Source: Tharaka Basnayaka/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Mohammad Shahzad remained unsold in the 2017 edition of the IPL despite having a base price of INR 50 lakhs. The swashbuckling batsman didn’t feature in last year’s auction but is expected to set the same on fire this time around. The 30-year-old is Afghanistan’s most successful batsman in limited-overs cricket. The right-hander doesn’t have the best of techniques, yet he has taken bowlers to the cleaners. He was the leading run-scorer in this year’s APL, having racked up 344 runs in nine matches at an incredible strike-rate of 174.61 with four half-centuries. Shahzad is currently playing for Rajputs, led by Brendon McCullum, in the T10 League. In the first match itself in Sharjah, he notched 74 runs off 16 deliveries to help his team chase down 95 in 4 overs. There’s no stopping Shahzad when he’s in full flow. Sayed Shirzad Sayed Shirzad. (Photo Source: Twitter) Sayed Shirzad isn’t a massive name in Afghanistan cricket but has the potential to ruffle the best in the business. The left-arm speedster has the ability to vary his pace and can deliver slower deliveries, which are often difficult to read. His prowess with the leather was palpable in this season’s APL when the pacer played for cellar dwellers Kandahar Knights and finished with 16 wickets from eight matches. He was effective with both the new and old cherry and was hard to get away. The 24-year-old is currently representing Rajputs in the T10 League and has bowled at an excellent economy rate apart from picking up quick wickets. The pitches in India are slow and low, and the ball tends to grip the surface, and Shirzad rolling his fingers over the ball can turn out to be a headache for the opponents. Hazratullah Zazai Hazratullah Zazai. (Photo Source: Twitter) Hazratullah Zazai made a name for himself in the APL, when he demolished left-arm spinner Abdullah Mazari for half-a-dozen sixes in one over, playing for Kabul Zwanan, the tournament’s runners-up. Prior to that, he also scored a superlative century against Nangarhar Leopards. He was the second-highest run scorer of the series with 322 runs from nine matches at an average and strike rate of 32.20 and 174.61. The 20-year-old is currently playing for Maratha Arabians and has already churned out some blistering knocks with the bat. Recently, the Young Turk attended the Kings XI Punjab’s (KXIP) trials in the IPL and the chances are that the left-handed batsman may turn out for the Ravichandran Ashwin-captained team in the next edition. Nevertheless, other franchises are also likely to go after Hazratullah. Zahir Khan Zahir Khan of Lancashire Lightning. (Photo by Sarah Ansell/Getty Images). Chinaman bowler Zahir Khan featured in last season’s IPL and was listed in the auction at a base price of INR 20 lakhs. To his delight, he was picked up by Rajasthan Royals (RR) for INR 60 lakhs. However, fate had something in cruel in store for the 19-year-old. He was ruled out without playing a match due to an injury and New Zealand leg-break bowler Ish Sodhi, who initially found no buyers, replaced him. He was effective, playing for Nangarhar Leopards as he finished with 10 wickets at an economy of seven. The left-armer also hasn’t done badly in the T10 League, representing the Punjabi Legends. In all five matches, he is yet to go wicketless, which shows his prowess as a strike-bowler. With wrist-spinners tasting a significant amount of success in IPL, Zahir can be more than handy with the ball in hand. Get the latest Cricket News and updates, Match Predictions, Fantasy Cricket Tips and lots more on CricTracker.com.

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IPL 2019: 5 Afghanistan players who can set the auction on fire

These players can attract significant bids in the auction.

Hazratullah Zazai

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