IPL Auction 2019: Ali Khan - A Pakistan-born USA cricketer is a player to look out for
The year 2018 is coming to an end, and it has been a blockbuster one for cricket - loaded with nail-biting encounters, enthralling performances with the bat and ball and a few controversies as well.
This blockbuster year is all set to have a gripping climax with the IPL 2019 player auctions. Although it would be a shorter auction with just 70 places to be filled, it is a significant one all franchises. The player scouts are working overtime keeping a close eye on each player in the list in order to compile a set of players to bid on in the auctions.
One such player who has been constantly on the radar of the franchises since last few months is Muhammad Ahsan Ali Khan. A Pakistan-born USA citizen - Ali Khan is a fiery fast bowler and is USA's sole entry in the shortlisted player list for IPL Auctions.
Early days in Pakistan
Born and brought up in the cricket-crazy nation of Pakistan, Ali spent his entire childhood passionately playing and following the game and idolising the legend, Waqar Younis.
At the age of 19, he moved to the US with his family. Dejected with the prospect of him pursuing a career in cricket in the US, Ali thought it was an end to his dreams.
The big break
Along with working at a cellular company, Ali started participating in local cricket tournaments across the USA and gained attention as a destructive pacer who can wreak havoc in any batting lineup.
But the big break came in September 2015, when ICC Americas - a combined team from the American region, had organised trials in Indianapolis. The West Indian great Courtney Walsh was impressed by Ali's pace and the raw strength that he possessed. Subsequently, he was picked up in the 15-member ICC Americas squad which played in the domestic one-day tournament held in West Indies in 2016.
In the same year, Ali bagged a contract with the Guyana Amazon Warriors and was all set to put up a show in the Caribbean Premier League. He got the priced wicket of Kumar Sangakkara on the very first ball of his debut match at the CPL.
A huge injury setback
Fast bowlers, howsoever fit, are very prone to injuries. Ali too was a victim of one such serious injury to his left hamstring. The injury kept him out of cricket for a good 8-10 months. Consequently, he lost the contract with the Guyana Amazon Warriors and felt crestfallen at one point.
The comeback and story thereafter
With the support of his family, USA cricket board and the coaches, Ali was able to recover completely and made a roaring comeback.
His ability to bowl toe-crushing yorkers, and also swing the ball at pace, earned him a place in T20 leagues across the globe. He is nicknamed as 'Yorker Machine' by his US teammates for the ability to dish out lethal yorkers at will.
He played for Winnipeg Hawks in the Canada Global T20 league in June this year and picked up 10 wickets in 8 matches at a strike rate of 16.9.
As a reward for his great bowling at the Canada Global T20 league, Ali earned a contract at Shah Rukh Khan's Trinbago Knight Riders in the Carribean Premier League 2018. Picking up 16 wickets in the tournament, Ali's brilliant bowling was instrumental in TKR's success as they ended up winning the CPL 2018.
IPL 2019 calling
As told by Ali himself in an interview to News18, featuring in IPL is his biggest dream. The way he has performed over last one year becoming the linchpin of the bowling lineups of Hawks and TKR, Ali could trigger a bidding war in this year's auction. Yorker specialists are an asset to the side, especially in IPL. Players like Bumrah and Malinga have proven that and thus Ali's dream may come true earlier than he expects.