Mumbai Indians sprung a massive surprise when they purchased Afghanistan cricket star Allah Ghazanfar. The 18-year-old was picked up for INR 4.8 Crores during the Indian Premier League Auction (IPL) 2025. Mumbai, in fact, hadn’t come into the equation with the bid reaching INR 2 Crores.
The five-time winners came into the contest with the price set at INR 2.4 crores. Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru were involved in the bidding process. Allah Ghazanfar was signed by KKR during IPL 2024 as a replacement player for compatriot Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
The youngster didn’t get a chance to play but was part of the squad that won the IPL 2024 title. Coming back to the auction, RCB pulled out of the race and it was between Mumbai and Kolkata. With the bid reaching INR 4.8 Crores, the Knight Riders decided to pull out and the player went to Mumbai for the coming season.
Allah Ghazanfar: Afghanistan’s fastest-rising star
Young Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar was born on 20th March 2006 in Paktia, Afghanistan. Since his young age, he was touted to be one of the best young spin talents in the country. The 18-year-old is a talented spin bowler who uses his variations well and beats the batters with the flight and also has a level of mystery.
Afghan star Allah Ghazanfar is quite tall and can also get bounce from the wicket in Mumbai which is known to aid the spinners. The youngster made his debut earlier this year both in the T20I and ODI formats and made an immediate impact.
During an ODI against Bangladesh, young Ghazanfar picked 6/26 to skittle out the opposition for 143 and help his side win by 92 runs. Ghazanfar bowled 6.3 overs with one maiden and got the wickets of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mushfiqur Rahim before running through the lower order.
Young Ghazanfar also is a decent lower-order batter. During a T20I match against South Africa, he scored 31 off 15 balls that saw his side reach 169. Afghanistan lost the match but the youngster was praised for his efforts. So far Allah Ghazanfar has played 8 ODI matches and picked 12 wickets. His T20 career has seen him pick 29 wickets with an economy of 5.7 and is yet to play T20 for Afghanistan.
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