IPL Auction 2020: Afghanistan's 14-Year-Old Noor Ahmad Is Youngest In The Pool

Noor Ahmad Lakanwal is14 years, 344 days old. He is the youngest cricketer to be part of the IPL auction 2020

As many as 332 players from across the world are set to go under the hammer when all the eight Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises gather for the auction on Thursday in Kolkata. Among several big names on the list, there is one specific cricketer who has been creating a buzz for quite some time now. Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad Lakanwal is the youngest cricketer to be part of the IPL 2020 auctions. The 14-year-old Chinaman is a regular member of the Afghanistan U-19 team. He was one of the most successful bowlers in the U-19 Asia Cup, claiming eight wickets in the tournament. Ahmad is expected to follow the footsteps of his countrymen Rashid Khan and Mujeeb ur Rahman. Hailing from the Khost Province, he was first spotted by former Afghanistan captain and the national selector Raees Ahmadzai last year. “I saw him for the first time during U-19 trails. When I saw him I realised that this guy will soon shine at the highest level. I so impressed [by] his bowling,” said Ahmadzai in an interview. The young leggie is also one of the key members of the Afghanistan squad for the U-19 World Cup, which begins in South Africa next month. Noor is among the seven Afghanistan players registered in the auction. Mohammad Shahzad, Zahir Khan, Karim Janat, Waqar Salamkheil, Qais Ahmad and Navin ul Haq are the others. Earlier, Prayas Ray Barman became the youngest player in the IPL last season. At the age of 16 years, he was picked by Royal Challengers Bangalore.