Top 5 youngest overseas debutants in IPL ft. Kwena Maphaka & Sandeep Lamichhane: Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a platform for youngsters to showcase their skills on a global level. In the case of foreign cricketers, the emerging talent has barely disappointed.
The spotlight has often fallen on such youngsters for making their debut at an incredibly young age. The IPL roaster has a long list of such players, who made their first appearance embodying the spirit of cricket’s next generation.
In this article, we will take a look at the top five youngest overseas debutants in IPL history. Let’s delve into the list:
List of Top 5 youngest overseas debutants in IPL ft. Kwena Maphaka & Sandeep Lamichhane
17y, 11d – Mujeeb Ur Rahman (PBKS vs DC, 2018)
At the young age of just 17 years and 11 days, Afghanistan’s Mujeeb ur Rahman became the youngest overseas debutant in IPL history in the 2018 season. He also holds the distinction of being the youngest in IPL to make a debut (international or local).
Representing Punjab Kings, he made his debut against Delhi Daredevils. The 17-year-old mystery spinner back then bagged two wickets for 25 runs and also defended 16 in the last over to help his team win by four runs.
17y, 283d – Sandeep Lamichhane (DC vs RCB, 2018)
After Mujeeb, Nepal’s Sandeep Lamicchane is next on the list when it comes to the youngest overseas players to make their IPL debut. Ageing 17 years and 283 days, the former skipper of the Nepal Cricket team represented Delhi Daredevils on his debut day.
Fronting the Royal Challengers Bangalore, he managed one wicket for 25 runs. Back then, he also became the first Nepalese cricketer to take part in IPL.
17y, 354d – Kwena Maphaka (MI vs SRH, 2024)
Kwena Maphaka, the South African bowler is representing the Mumbai Indians in the ongoing IPL 2024. In a match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kwena, aged 17 years and 354 days, became the third youngest overseas debutant to make an IPL debut.
However, he could not make an impact. The Johannesburg-born contained 66 runs at a horrendous economy rate of 16.50 and managed no wickets. It remains to be seen how the youngster will do in the remaining MI matches.
18y, 103d – Noor Ahmad (GT vs RR, 2023)
In recent times, Afghanistan have produced various young bowlers and Noor Ahmad is one of them. The left-arm spinner made his IPL debut for the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023.
He was brought in as an impact player replacing Shubman Gill and pocketed the much-needed wicket of Sanju Samson. The Titans ended up on the losing front, however, Noor registered the record for being one of the youngest overseas players to make an IPL debut.
