Afghanistan's white-ball fortunes have risen in recent years and their ability to produce quality spinners has played a major part in that. Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and the the more recent one, Mujeeb, are proofs of it. It shouldn't be long before Zahir Khan also joins in the list. Not only is he a wrist spinner but also a Chinaman, a rare mould although in recent years, we have seen a few floating around. Nevertheless, the sheer rarity of their breed makes them a tough species to deal with as the mystery element is always there. Zahir had a great time for the national U19 side who have made rapid strides as a team in the category. The young spinner has been a vital cog of all the success and has found exposure in the inter-continental cup and the local T20 league held in Afghanistan. With a dream IPL contract coming at the 2018 auctions, Zahir will want to make the most of this golden opportunity, given that he will be mentored by the legend Shane Warne.

By Hariprasad Sadanandan