From UAE to IPL: Alishan Sharafu eyes franchise spotlight
Emerging all-rounder joins elite players in Saudi Arabian auction
Dubai: The UAE’s young all-rounder Alishan Sharafu will be the only player from the Middle East to appear in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction, later this month in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The 21-year-old is among the 1,574 players (1,165 Indian and 409 overseas) who have signed up for the mega auction. The event will also feature prominent players such as Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Arshdeep Singh, who will go under the hammer on November 24-25.
The list includes another player from an Associate nation: Italy’s Thomas Draca, who played for Brampton Wolves in the Global T20 Canada. The 24-year-old finished third among wicket-takers in Canada with 11 wickets, behind West Indies’ Romario Shepherd and UAE’s Junaid Siddique. Draca has also been selected by MI Emirates for the DP World ILT20 Season Three.
Sharafu’s rising form and mentor’s influence
Sharafu, who led the UAE to the Under-19 World Cup Plate title in 2022, has been in excellent form this season, particularly in the Twenty20 format. He credits his consistency to the positive influence of UAE coach Lalchand Rajput.
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“It’s good to see Alishan bat like a mature player. That’s what we have been working on in the camp. It is pleasing to see Alishan showing great maturity to put a price on his wicket, which is a good sign,” said Rajput, the former India opener.
Sharafu has been prolific since moving to the opener’s slot. In his last 10 innings, Sharafu has remained unbeaten three times, with four half-centuries and a highest 90 not out against Kuwait in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup.
Learning lessons and embracing responsibility
Sharafu’s improvement came after some hard lessons, losing his wicket often after settling in. Reflecting on this, he acknowledged the guidance from Rajput, saying, “Since then, I’ve tried to bat as deep as possible, stay not out, and finish the game if the situation allows me,” adopting Rajput’s emphasis on the Mumbai “Khadoos” (stubborn) approach to batting.
Sharafufinished among the top scorers in the DP World ILT20 Development tournament in UAE last month.
Eye on IPL selection
Sharafu has been retained by the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders for DP World ILT20 Season Three. If Sharafu secures a spot in an IPL team that would be a major confidence boost and a chance to learn from some of the best in the game.
If selected, Sharafu will become the second UAE player after Chirag Suri to participate in the world’s richest franchise league.