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Afghanistan is one country that has improved steeply in international cricket over the past few years. With the emergence of players like Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi, the belief among the Afghan players that they too can stake a claim on the IPL bandwagon, has risen.
The recently concluded Afghanistan Premier League (APL) has given us a fair look into the kind of talent that the country possess. But the fact that no new Afghan cricketers were bought by the franchises in the IPL 2019 auction was surprising.
Maybe the fact that the IPL scouts consider the Afghanistan batting to be still sub-par might have something to do with the way franchises have avoided Afghanistan batsmen. But they might want to remind themselves that Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan have also had decent performances lower down the order for the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Here in this article, let us look at the top 4 Afghanistan cricketers who have performed well in the recently concluded Afghanistan Premier League and the Caribbean Premier League and could be handy replacements for other overseas players in case of injuries.
#4 Shafiqullah Shafaq
Shafiqullah Shafaq was one of the cricketers who found his name on the shortlisted IPL auction 2019 list. He is an experienced Afghan cricketer who can also play a role as a wicket-keeper in the squad.
With a number of overseas wicket-keepers in demand in the IPL 2019 auctions, an injury concern to one of them will demand similar kind of players, and Shafaq could be a handy replacement.
He played some crucial knocks for Nangarhar Leopards in the Afghanistan Premier league under the mentoring of Venkatesh Prasad, who was their coach. He is well-known for his big hitting prowess and neat wicket-keeping skills, which can be a handy acquisition for any IPL team looking for a replacement.
#3 Qais Ahmad
Qais Ahmad had an impressive Afghanistan premier League with 15 wickets from 9 matches with an economy of 6.26 and made a great impression with his fast leg breaks. Considering the fact that spin bowlers from Afghanistan have been effective in the IPL, Ahmad was expected to be picked in the IPL 2019 auctions but unfortunately, that was not the case.
The 18-year-old is another indication of the spin bowling talent coming in from Afghanistan. He was also part of the St. Lucia Stars' squad in the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League and is now also a part of the Bangladesh Premier League side Rajshahi Kings.
The demand and attention he has got from T20 leagues around the world is in itself an indication of his talent. Don't be surprised if he is possibly called up as a replacement option for an injured like-minded player.
#2 Mohammad Shahzad
Mohammad Shahzad may not look as fit as Virat Kohli, but he is an intelligent cricketer who brings an added value of being a wicket-keeper to the table. He was part of the auction list of IPL 2019 but was disregarded by various IPL franchises.
With red-hot performances that he showcased in the Afghanistan Premier League, he might have been left wondering of what more could he have done to grab the attention of various IPL teams.
He was the highest run-getter in the recently concluded Afghanistan Premier League (APL), with 344 runs from 9 matches at an average of 43. His strike rate was 174.61 and he was the joint highest six hitter alongside Chris Gayle with 27 sixes.
These statistics clearly showcase why one should have him as a part of their squad rather than having him as their opponent. The century scored by him against India in the Asia Cup match is also an indication that he can score runs against quality bowlers.
With many teams having an opening batsman with wicket-keeping abilities, if the need arises, he might be called up as a replacement.
#1 Hazratullah Zazai
Hazratullah Zazai shot to fame in the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) when he hit 6 sixes in an over and equaled the record of Yuvraj Singh and Chris Gayle by scoring a 12-ball half century. His heroics in the APL got the attention of all the scouts worldwide, but the IPL franchises were not interested in buying him in the auction.
He was the second highest run-getter in the APL, scoring 322 runs in 10 matches at an average of 32.2 with a brilliant strike rate of 193.97. Also, he was the only players to score a century in the tournament.
The 20-year-old has also played 3 T20I matches for Afghanistan and has scored 174 runs at an average of 58. His strike rate is one of the best there is at 156.76. This is another reason for picking him as an attacking opening batsman or even as a finisher.
Now with all the IPL teams set, he would be hopeful for a replacement opportunity to come his way in IPL 2019.
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