IPL 2019: Rasikh Salaam -Meet the Mumbai Indians' newest surprise in the IPL

Rasikh Salam made his IPL debut against Delhi Capitals.

Rasikh Salam is the second J&K player to play an IPL match | Twitter

17-year-old Rasikh Salam became the youngest player to make his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut on Sunday, 24 March, when he was handed maiden cap by the Mumbai Indians (MI) Director of Cricket Zaheer Khan at the Wankhede Stadium.

Salam, who was bought by the Mumbai-based franchise for Rs 20 lakh in the IPL auction 2019, made his IPL debut against Delhi Capitals (DD) for the MI on Sunday and also became only the second player from Jammu and Kashmir to play in the cash-rich T20 league.

The South Kashmir lad is the second player after Parvez Rasool from his state who made it to the Playing XI in an IPL match, while Salam is overall, third (Manzoor Dar -Kings XI Punjab last year) Jammu and Kashmir player to be picked in the cash-rich league.

Salam, who hails from a small village called Ashmuji in the Kulgam district of South Kashmir, ended with the match figures of 4-0-42-0 in his debut match, though the young paceman bowled a couple of no balls, he showed flashes of potential at packed Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.

Meanwhile, it was a dream come true for young Salam -who has learned tricks of the trade from Irfan Pathan with whom he worked on the technical parts during the J&K camp.

The youngster told media in Mumbai on Sunday, “What an exciting moment to go through. I can’t control my emotions, a dream come true.”

Noteworthy, Salam made his List A Trophy in 2018, while made his first-class debut for Jammu & Kashmir in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy on 30 December 2018 and also had attended two selection trial camps of MI at the franchise’s facilities in Navi Mumbai.

On the other hand, the MI said in a statement of Salam, “The entire team also saw the first glimpse of the 17-year-old pacer from Jammu and Kashmir, Rasikh Salam Dar. The youngster, who returned after an injury lay-off, bent his back and was not shy to bowl the short ball.”

The statement concluded, “Rasikh was bowling probing lines under the guidance of bowling coach Shane Bond. Rasikh bowled in tandem with our seasoned campaigner Mitchell McClenaghan.”

(With Hindustan Times Inputs)

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 25 Mar, 2019

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