AM Ghazanfar: The Afghanistan off-spinner ready to reach for the stars

Afghanistan's AM Ghanzanfar was destined to be an off-spinner. In 2022, he was in a fix about whether to continue fast bowling or try bowling spin. He then met his mentor and former Afghanistan pacer Dawlat Ahmadzai, who accepted the head coach's position at the renowned Muhammad Mirza KatawazaiA Cricket Center in Kabul.

"After observing his fast bowling technique, I noted that his bowling action lacked proper alignment. However, I was impressed with his spin bowling skills, which, although akin to those of a medium pacer, exhibited a promising alignment. I advised Ghazanfar that if he truly wished to become a spinner, we would need to start from scratch, acknowledging that this would require considerable time and effort," Ahmadzai told Cricbuzz recently.

"Ghazanfar responded positively, expressing his willingness to invest the necessary time as long as I could commit to coaching him. His brother, the manager, also encouraged me to take on this challenge, highlighting their belief that my experience in training world-class players could benefit Ghazanfar significantly," he said.

"I expressed my interest in developing this young bowler into a world-class spinner, but I wanted to evaluate his fast bowling capabilities first. Upon speaking with Ghazanfar, I learned that he was uncertain about whether to pursue spin or fast bowling. He shared that people often encouraged him to focus on fast bowling due to his height, yet he himself felt dissatisfied with his performance in that area," he added.

Ahmadzai said that Ghazanfar seized his opportunity when it came his way in the Shpageeza Cricket League and since then has not had to look back.

"During this time, the cricket center (MMKCC) I was coaching a team in the Shpageeza Cricket League, named Mis Ainak Atalan. With the league returning after a significant hiatus, we organized a preparatory camp. Initially, Ghazanfar was just a net bowler, practicing alongside both national and international cricketers," Ahmadzai said.

"Our team faced challenges, losing the first two matches under the captaincy of Asghar Afghan. Recognizing the need for another spinner in our squad, I suggested to Asghar that Ghazanfar, despite being a net bowler, could be a valuable addition given the conditions in Kabul, which favored spin. Asghar sought my opinion on Ghazanfar's abilities, and I shared my insights from two years of training him in spin bowling," he said.

"However, selecting Ghazanfar was a complicated decision because he was not part of the official team roster; he was merely a net bowler. We communicated with Shir Agha Hamkar, the head of the Shpageeza Cricket League, requesting Ghazanfar's inclusion in our team as a spinner. After some effort, we secured permission to add him to the squad for the next match. In that match, Ghazanfar delivered an outstanding performance, taking four or five wickets and demonstrating his ability to deceive batters. His impressive showing not only earned him respect but also laid the groundwork for his burgeoning reputation," he added.

It did not take long for Ghazanfar to get attention from the Afghanistan Cricket Board, but according to Ahmadzai, his time with Kolkata Knight Riders after being