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Young Afghan off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman is viewed as one of the most talented spinners in the game today, especially in the limited-overs formats. He has played one Test, 43 ODIs and 22 T20Is and has an excellent record in white-ball cricket. Mujeeb has claimed 70 one-day scalps at an average of 22.04 and 32 T20I wickets at an average of 15.87.
The spinner was purchased by Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the 2018 IPL Auction and is among the youngest IPL debutants. Mujeeb had a standout first season, claiming 14 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 20.64 and a brilliant economy rate of 6.99. The talented offie, however, could not replicate his success in the subsequent IPL seasons.
Mujeeb claimed three wickets in five matches at an economy rate of 10.05 during IPL 2019 and went wicketless in two games in IPL 2020, going at 10.37.
He was purchased by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the IPL 2021 Auction. However, with Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi also part of the squad, Mujeeb only got to play one match, in which he claimed two wickets. His arrival in the UAE for the second half of IPL 2021 was also delayed due to visa issues.
IPL Auction 2022: Will these franchises bid for Mujeeb Ur Rahman?
In the build up to the IPL 2022 auction, we look at three teams that can target Mujeeb and why.
#1 Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
SRH could not utilize Mujeeb’s services in IPL 2021 due to various reasons, with the main being the presence of fellow Afghan cricketers Rashid and Nabi. Hyderabad were keen to retain Rashid ahead of the IPL 2022 Auction, but couldn’t come to a common ground with the cricketer with respect to the financial aspect. As a result, he was released and Nabi has also not been retained.
SRH decided to retain skipper Kane Williamson, fast bowler Umran Malik and all-rounder Abdul Samad ahead of the IPL 2022 auction. They will thus be seeking the services of a quality spinner for the upcoming season. The ability that Rashid brings along is, of course, irreplaceable. However, Mujeeb can be a decent alternative.
Like Rashid, he also plies his trade in various T20 franchise leagues. Mujeeb has a highly impressive T20 record. In 160 matches, he has claimed 175 scalps at an average of 23.15 and an excellent economy rate of 6.70. The 20-year-old also impressed in the T20 World Cup until he picked up an injury.
#2 Mumbai Indians (MI)
Five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians (MI) have banked on promising leg-spinner Rahul Chahar to deliver the goods in recent seasons. He did more than a decent job, claiming key scalps with his guile and zip. Chahar stood out in the first half of IPL 2021 as well, winning a couple of matches for a team from difficult circumstances. However, he was insipid in the UAE leg and ended up getting dropped from the playing XI.
Left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya and off-spinner Jayant Yadav were the other slow bowling options MI tried out during the year, but neither could make much of an impact. MI released all three of them ahead of IPL 2022 auction as well as leggie Piyush Chawla, who played only one match.
The franchise retained Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Kieron Pollard ahead of the IPL auction. MI would also need a quality spinner to strengthen their bowling attack. They can opt for Mujeeb, who is a proven performer in the T20 format.
#3 Punjab Kings (PBKS)
Punjab Kings (PBKS) endured yet another forgettable IPL season in 2021. Hence, it was no surprise that they retained the least number of players ahead of the mega auction - only two (opener Mayank Agarwal and left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh). They were keen to retain captain KL Rahul as well but the cricketer wanted to move on. The good news for PBKS is that they have the biggest purse of ₹72 crore remaining.
Speaking of their spinners, they have backed young leggie Ravi Bishnoi over the last two seasons. The talented bowler was the third highest wicket-taker for the franchise in IPL 2021 with 12 scalps from nine matches. He made his IPL debut for PBKS last season and made an instant impact. It was a bit of a surprise that the franchise did not retain the promising leg-spinner.
Harpreet Brar and Murugan Ashwin were the other spin options PBKS explored during IPL 2021, but did not find either of them worthy of retaining. They will be desperate to purchase a class spinner at the IPL 2022 Auction.
Like SRH and MI, they could also bid for the relatively young but highly experienced Mujeeb.
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