Officials from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said on Tuesday that five members of the national cricket team have been selected for the auction list of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Mohammad Shahzad, Mohammad Nabi Isakhail, Rashid Khan Arman, Asghar Stanikzai and Dawlat Zadran are the cricketers whose names have been listed, ACB spokesman Mohammad Farid Hotak said.
According to the list, the IPL will pay five million Indian rupees for each Shahzad and Rashid Arman to play in the IPL.
However, the amount being considered for the other three national players has not been mentioned.
Indian media reported that Mumbai India, one of the IPL teams, is thinking about bidding for Mohammad Shahzad as wicket keeper.
“The participation of Afghan players in the IPL is a huge achievement for Afghanistan’s cricket. This will give an extra motivation and energy to young players who are interested to be part of the National Cricket Team,” Hotak said.
“The Afghanistan Cricket Board continues its efforts to provide the facilities for further participation of national players in international leagues,” he added.
“It will be a moment of pride for us if two or three of our players are bought for the Indian (Premier) League. It sends a message to young players that they can reach their goals if they continue their hard work,” said Azizullah Fazli, an ACB advisor.
Ambassador of Afghanistan to India tweeted: “Two Afghan players for the top reserve price in IPL 2017 is by itself a major achievement!” In a reply to his tweet, Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ Secretary (economic relations) Amar Sinha said, “In total five. Bravo. Best of luck to all of them.”
The IPL’s auction is expected to take place on Monday.
UAE’s Suri figures in IPL auction list:
UAE’s promising young batsman Chirag Suri has made headlines by making it into the list of Indian Premier League (IPL) players who will be up for grabs for the 2017 edition of the IPL to be held on February 20. The IPL governing body has pruned a list of 799 players, who registered for the upcoming edition of the IPL, to 351 players.
Suri will go under the hammer when the franchises sit down to pick fresh players and is listed among the 122 international players. Suri is the only player from UAE in the list.
Speaking to a Gulf media outlet, 21-year-old Suri said: “It’s a great honour to be in the list of players who will be auctioned for one of the finest tournaments in the world. I got picked as I fall in the under-23 category. I am hoping that I get selected and be part of such a tournament.”
An opening batsman, Suri has been scoring consistently in domestic tournaments and winning best batsman awards in inter-collegiate tournaments in UAE. He has played many match-wining knocks for Heriot Watt University.
