The U-19 tweaker impressed one and all at the World Cup. Now he plays for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Swiveling into prominence
Born: Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh
Attributes: Slow left-arm orthodox spinner and left-handed batsman
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In a very short span of time, Abdulla has risen from being a newcomer to be the most talked about player on the domestic circuit. The Mumbai player’s wily left-arm spin has always hogged the limelight, even since his early days. And with refined batting skills, one can imagine this young gun to mature to be a handy all-rounder in the future.
Early days and school cricket background
Born in Azamgarh village of Uttar Pradesh, Iqbal was brought up in a lower middle-class family. His father used to run a small shop in town, which was the only means of income for the big family. The young lad’s talent was spotted by an eager coach named Naushad Khan, who Iqbal also calls his mentor. Naushad trusted the potential and caliber ‘Iqqi’ possesses and brought him to Mumbai, India’s cricket capital.
Blown-away by his splendid performances, Mumbai skipper Amol Muzumdar had the following to say about his latest spin-weapon:
“We had been hearing about him for a while. He had an opportunity, and he took it with both his hands.”
Praised throughout the country for his brilliant display in Malaysia, Iqbal would have been more encouraged with these comments from the Chairman of Selectors, Dilip Vengsarkar:
“He (Iqbal Abdulla) has been very promising, and has done very well for Mumbai of late. He has a good future.”
The hard-working youngster has the following things to say about his family and dream:
"Now things are different. My income has helped the family. Last year I helped my father get my sister married and now I have a dream of sending my parents on a Haj pilgrimage tour.”
The southpaw started his cricket journey in Mumbai at Anjuman Islam School, where Naushad was the coach and was in the process of building a competitive cricket team. Iqbal would go on to be a key element in the unit; his brilliant display with the ball witnessed his school winning the championship. He caught eyes of several selectors with stupendous performances at the junior level and on the Mumbai club cricket circuit, and was immediately pitchforked into the Mumbai under-17 team.
The left-armer scalped 21 wickets in his maiden season in the Cooch-Behar Trophy and established himself as a force to be reckoned with. His dream of wearing the India cap was fulfilled almost soon after, when he earned a call-up to the India Under-19 team for a tri-series in Sri Lanka. The Mumbai spinner didn’t disappoint; finishing third highest wicket-taker in the tournament.
Iqbal’s super skills
The 18-year old is a smart thinker of cricket and likes to play according the situation. With his sharp spinning deliveries, he has the potential to wreak havoc on dusty tracks. The teenager likes to vary his pace and has plenty of variations in his arsenal. In the past couple of years, he has developed a deadly quicker delivery, which has earned him lots of wickets recently. Accuracy is the name of the game for Abdulla; he believes in containing the batsmen rather than going in for the kill. Abdulla’s pinpoint line and length plays on the patience of the batsmen, and eventually forces them to commit mistakes.
A smart batsman down the order, Iqbal likes to dominate the opposition with the willow. His ability to play gutsy knocks at crucial junctures makes him a dangerous prospect. An example of his slick batting style was displayed during the Irani Trophy, where the young prodigy scored a brisk 56 and remained unbeaten to help Mumbai go past 450 runs.
Stint with Mumbai team
In no time, he was picked into the senior Mumbai team for a Twenty20 competition. In Ramesh Powar’s absence, Abdulla was the given the nod. The clever cricketer grabbed the opportunity with both hands as he ran through the Haryana team by dismissing five frontline batsmen in his stipulated four-over spell.
Few more prodigious performances in the limited-version of the game spurred Abdulla’s selection to the Ranji team. His entry into the Mumbai playing XI was a hot-topic in the Mumbai cricketing circles, given he was picked ahead of the seasoned campaigner and former skipper Nilesh Kulkarni. But the gritty left-armer dismissed all the doubts raised by his critics with exceptional performances.
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‘Iqqi’ featured regularly for Mumbai through the Ranji Trophy season as the second spinner alongside the experienced Ramesh Powar. With 16 wickets in 6 games at an economy rate of just 2.45, Abdulla played a major role in his team’s road to the semifinals. Although Mumbai were knocked out by Baroda in the penultimate round, the UP born’s standout performances earned him a chance to display his skills at the Challenger Trophy, India’s premier Domestic Limited Overs tournament.
Dream World-Cup run in Malaysia
His outstanding display in the first-class season deservingly saw him picked into the Indian team for the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. The only teenager from Mumbai to find a place in the India Under-19 team for the World Cup, Abdulla was at his supreme best in the tournament and ended as one of the leading wicket-takers for India at the tournament. The subtle spinner accounted for ten wickets at a miserly average of 13. The Boys in Blue remained unbeaten throughout the World Cup and undoubtedly were crowned the Under-19 champions for the second time. The orthodox spinner’s timely strikes in crisis-like-situations were crucial in powering his nation through the knock-out stages. Even in the finals, he played a pivotal role in his country winning a low-scoring affair.
IPL offer
After their heroics at the Under-19 World Cup, several young Indian tigers were given a contract to play in the inaugural Indian Premier League. Iqbal has been picked to play for the Kolkata Knight Riders, owned by Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan. The tournament could prove to be a good learning ground for the young gun, given he will be rubbing shoulders with some of the best players around today.
And looking at Iqbal’s track record, he is sure to shine and make a name for himself in this lucrative tournament that has stars glittering all over.
Personal Life
With money and praises showering on him from all corners, the 18-year old has recently bought his first flat in Kurla. And with his humanitarian and humble attitude, Abdulla wants to take up the role of a social worker as an alternate job.
In the past few years, India have struggled to find a left-arm spinner who could cement his place in the national team. With the current Indian think-tank banking on youth, Iqbal has a great opportunity to break into the Indian team. He, along with Piyush Chawla, might well be the answer to India’s cries for a replacement to fill the big vacuum that will be created after Anil Kumble’s retirement.
WHY A YOUNG GUN?
- His grit and determination makes him one of the toughest young prospects on the Indian circuit
- He might well be the answer to India’s long dearth for a quality left-arm spinner in the team
- Youngsters have been the theme for team India in recent months and Iqbal’s fresh legs might well be a great addition to the current team
- He is one of the toughest bowler to score off in the domestic circuit
- He has been rated highly by the Indian selectors
