Tue Nov 26 04:20:10 UTC 2024: ## Afghan Mystery Spinner Ghazanfar Commands High Price at IPL Auction

**Jeddah, UAE –** The second day of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction saw several players garner surprisingly high bids. Among the most notable was 18-year-old Afghan mystery spinner Allah Ghazanfar, who was picked up by the Mumbai Indians for a staggering ₹4.80 crore (approximately $580,000 USD), far exceeding his base price of ₹75 lakh.

Ghazanfar, who previously played for the Kolkata Knight Riders (as a replacement player, without appearing in a match), has impressed with his economical bowling, boasting an economy rate of 4.36 in ODIs and 4.43 in T20s. His impressive performance in the 2024 U-19 World Cup (eight wickets in four matches) and the Emerging Asia Cup final, where he won Player of the Match, contributed to his high demand. He has also taken 12 wickets in 8 ODIs and 29 wickets in 16 T20 matches.

Other notable transactions included Royal Challengers Bangalore’s acquisition of veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a significant sum, and Deepak Chahar’s move from Chennai Super Kings to Mumbai Indians. Tushar Deshpande also attracted competitive bidding, ultimately joining Rajasthan Royals. The auction also saw significant investments in several other players, highlighting the competitiveness of the IPL market.

Read More