The Mumbai Indians decided to switch young Afghan spinner Allah Ghazanfar with experienced Mujeeb-ur-Rahman for IPL 2025. Allah Ghazanfar left the season after getting injured since Mumbai Indians bought him for 4.8 crore rupees. Mumbai Indians chose Mujeeb-ur Rahman to fill the vacant spot on their squad after the resignation.
Mumbai Indians have signed Afghanistan’s mystery spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman for IPL 2025 as a replacement for his compatriot, Allah Ghazanfar, who has been ruled out of the season due to an injury.
Mujeeb-ur-Rahman’s IPL career a glimpse
Afghanistan off-spinner Mujeeb-ur- Rahman has been drafted into the Mumbai Indians squad for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). He replaces his compatriot Allah Ghazanfar, who has been ruled out with a back injury. Notably, this marks Mujeeb-ur-Rahman’s return to the IPL after a four-year gap.
Mujeeb-ur-Rahman made his IPL debut in the 2018 season with Punjab Kings. He was supposed to play for Kolkata Knight Riders last year but an injury kept him out of the tournament. Ironically, Ghazanfar had replaced him in the KKR squad in 2018. The mystery spinner last played IPL in 2021 for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite going unsold at IPL 2025 auction, Mujeeb Ur Rahman has now bagged a spot in Mumbai Indian’s squad with a ₹2 crore contract.
Speaking of his IPL numbers, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman has claimed 19 wickets across as many games at an average of 31.16. His economy rate is 8.18 as 3/27 read his best figures. Notably, he took the IPL 2018 by storm, having scalped 14 wickets in 11 matches at a brilliant economy of 6.99. However, he struggled to get consistent chances in the following seasons.
Mujeeb-ur-Rahman’s recent form and injury
Mujeeb-ur-Rahman was recently seen playing for Paarl Royals in the SA20, where he was the team’s leading wicket-taker with 14 dismissals in 12 matches, averaging 23.14. However, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman himself remained out for five months until November last year due to a right phalanx (hand) sprain.
Notably, he will also miss the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. Due to fitness issues, he has been advised to stay away from the 50-over format for a while.
Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman boasts of an incredible record of 275 wickets across 256 T20 games at an average of 23.67. His economy is a sensational 6.75. Notably, the Afghan star belongs to a rare breed of spinners who enjoy operating in the powerplay (1-6 overs). As per ESPNCricinfo, he owns 107 T20 wickets in this phase at a brilliant economy of 6.69.
Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman has scalped 63 wickets in 49 T20Is at a sensational average of 17.14. The tally includes a four-wicket haul and a fifer as well. Among Afghanistan players, only Rashid Khan (159), Mohammad Nabi (97), and Naveen-ul-Haq (67) have claimed more wickets in the format. Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s economy rate of 6.33 is the sixth-best among full-member team bowlers with 50 or more T20I wickets.
Allah Ghazanfar’s IPL Career and international career
Mumbai Indians have signed Afghanistan’s mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman for IPL 2025 as a replacement for his compatriot, Allah Ghazanfar, who has been ruled out of the season due to an injury.
Ghazanfar, 18, stormed into international cricket in 2024 with impressive and consistent performances. He picked up 21 wickets in 11 ODIs at a stunning average of 13.57, while also playing multiple franchise competitions worldwide. Mumbai Indians signed him for a significant Rs. 4.8 crore in the auction, beating Ghazanfar’s first IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, in a bidding war.
Interestingly, last year, Ghazanfar had replaced Mujeeb at the Knight Riders when the latter had picked up an injury, though the teenager didn’t get to make his IPL debut.
“Mujeeb was one of the youngest ever players to have represented Afghanistan and made an instant impact with the ball leading to an IPL debut at the age of 17. Mujeeb has played over 300 T20s games taking closer to 330 wickets at an economy of around 6.5. Mumbai Indians wish Ghazanfar a speedy recovery and a warm welcome to Mujeeb into the #OneFamily” the franchise wrote in a statement.
Allah Ghazanfar picked up a back fracture on Afghanistan’s tour of Zimbabwe last year, which is now set to rule him out of action of the 2025 Champions Trophy as well. Last Wednesday, February 12, the national team had released a statement detailing his injury and recovery timeframe.
“Afghanistan’s young spin-bowling sensation, AM Ghazanfar, has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy due to a fracture in the L4 vertebra, specifically in the left pars interarticularis. He sustained the injury during Afghanistan’s recently held tour Zimbabwe, and will be sidelined for a minimum of four months and will remain under treatment during this period,” the board said.
Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman represents Afghanistan as their right-arm off-spinner in the Indian Premier League and has participated in 19 matches where he secured 19 wickets. The IPL 2024 mega auction did not see him get selected but Mumbai Indians acquired him for 2 crore rupees.
Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman, 23, is much more experienced than Ghazanfar, having broken through at a similar age in 2020-21. In the IPL, he has played for SunRisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings, picking 19 wickets in 19 matches at an average of 31.15.In a team statement Mumbai Indians acknowledged that Mujeeb Ur Rehman became the youngest Afghan player to ever represent them at their IPL debut in his 17th year.
The seventeen-year-old cricketer Mujeeb Ur Rehman has participated in more than 300 T20 matches and recorded 330 wickets along with 6.5 runs given away per over. Mumbai Indians send their hopes for Ghazanfar’s recovery to happen swiftly. The return of Mujeeb Ur Rehman to the Mumbai Indians team represents a vital step for the team since they selected him to improve their team’s spin bowling.