‘Omnipresent’ Allah Ghazanfar stuns fans: Mumbai Indians’ latest recruit plays U19 Asia Cup, T10 league in UAE on consecutive days | Cricket News
Afghanan mystery spinner Allah Ghazanfar is following in the footsteps of his globetrotting spin compatriots Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad and making heads turn, only days after he bagged a hefty IPL 2025 contract with the Mumbai Indians.
The 6-foot-2 tall spinner surprised cricket fans when he turned up for the Team Abu Dhabi franchise in the T10 League on Saturday, a day after he played for the Afghanan Under-19 team in the ongoing ACC Under-19 Men’s Asia Cup in the UAE the previous evening.
Ghazanfar was the most economical bowler for Afghanan U19 in Dubai on Friday, conceding only 25 runs in 10 overs with a maiden and a wicket as they restricted Bangladesh U19 to 228 for nine in 50 overs. However, the Afghans failed in the chase, conceding a 45-run surrender.
Ghazanfar, though, had an immediate assignment to pick up as he turned up at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, an hour and 15 minutes away from the Dubai facility for Team Abu Dhabi in their group-stage game against Northern Warriors. The 18-year-old spinner regered figures of 1/10 in two overs as Abu Dhabi won eight wickets, marking their fourth win in seven matches.
Here’s another look at how AMG got better off Tanzid Hasan! ⚡#AfghanAtalan | #AFGvBAN | #GloriousNationVictoriousTeam pic.twitter.com/Is41mrt7kn
— Afghanan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) November 6, 2024
The youngster has been in focus lately, having shone for the senior Afghanan side in recent ODI wins over Bangladesh and South Africa. In the opening game of the three-match series against Bangladesh, Ghazanfar recorded his career-best ODI figures of 6/26. He also picked up four wickets in three games in a 2-1 win over South Africa in the UAE in September.
Ghazanfar also shone in the ACC Emerging Asia Cup T20 in Oman last month as Afghanan A won their maiden title. The wily spinner’s 2/10 was crucial in Afghanan A’s win over India A in the semi-final.
Snapped up Mumbai Indians for IPL 2025 for a staggering Rs 4.8 crore, a year after he was with the title-winning Kolkata Knight Riders, Ghazanfar is expected to be the five-time champions’ prime spin weapon. Having played only 16 T20s thus far, Ghazanfar has picked up 29 wickets at a miserly 5.71 economy and 12.2 strike rate.
