Abdul Samad has become the third cricketer from the valley to feature in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match. Notably, J&K cricketers Parvez Rasool (Pune Warriors, RCB and SRH) and Rasikh Salam (Mumbai Indians) are the other two players to have played at least a game in the cash-rich league.Ahead of their team’s clash against Delhi Capitals on Tuesday, Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner handed over the debut cap to the 18-year-old batsman, who has the ability to hit the ball hard and play the role of the finisher. Abdul Amad has been trained and mentored by none other than the former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan himself. Making his IPL debut, Jammu and Kashmir’s Abdul Samad (12 off 7) blasted a four and six in his useful cameo.Abdul Samad, who turns 19-year-old in a month, made his first-class, List A and T20 debut for J&K in 2019. In 11 T20 matches he has played so far, Samad averages a staggering 40 with the bat. His strike-rate stands at an impressive 136.36. His leg-spin can also come handy for his teams at times.
