Teenage cricketer Rasikh Salaam Dar became the third cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to be bought at an IPL auction when he was roped in by Mumbai Indians for his base price of 20 lakh in Jaipur on Tuesday.
Quite justifiably, the lad was over-the-moon following this development. “What an exciting moment to go through. I can’t control my emotions, a dream come true,” said the 17-year old as quoted by Hindustan Times.
Dar, who is from the Kulgam district in South Kashmir had made his debut in List A cricket earlier this year in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and had been part of the trials of Mumbai Indians in October. The youngster, keen on doing well said that he couldn’t wait to be part of the Mumbai Indians.
Dar is the third cricketer after state team skipper Parvez Rasool and Manzoor Dar to be picked at the IPL auction. Rasool was the first from the state to join an IPL side when he was roped in by the now-defunct Pune Warriors. Later, Sunrisers Hyderabad picked him but he didn’t find any bidder for him last year.
Manzoor Dar, the second one to be picked from the state was chosen to be part of the Kings XI Punjab squad ahead of this year’s IPL. But he couldn’t play a match.