Batting sensation of Kashmir, Manzoor Dar (Pandav) will play in this year’s Indian Premier League for Kings-XI Punjab. Pandav became the last but one player to get in the Indian Premier League (IPL)-2018 auction list. He was bought by Kings XI Punjab for the base price of Rs 20 lakh.
Known for his power hitting and having won couple of matches in the recent Mushtaq Ali T20 North Zone for Jammu and Kashmir, Pandav was the penultimate player to get on auction list in 2-day bidding war for players between IPL franchisees.
Meanwhile, in another major surprise, international cricketer of the State Parvez Rasool didn’t even make it up for the auction.
Umar Nazir, another JK player, also didn’t fetch any bids for the base price of Rs 20 lakhs. Interestingly, Dar is called Mr 100 metre sixer. His coach Abdul Qayoom had told News 18: “He is Mr 100 metre sixer man. He gives the ball a real thump. Last year in a match with Punjab, he hit a few sixes that were 100 metres plus,” recalls Qayoom. His coach explained that his 6 feet two inches, 84 kg ward could tilt the game in the space of 12 to 15 deliveries.
He reportedly got the nickname after he carried home three members of the opposite side into his own half. The son of a labourer he hails from a poor family and they often struggle to make ends meet. He even juggles a few jobs, working as a security guard at night and wood craftsman by day, while packing in a few hours of practice.
For years he cycled from his workplace to the stadium, unable to pay fare. His big six-hitting abilities has made him part of folklore and local clubs pay him to destroy the opposition.
KXIP has now done that on a much bigger scale and the Kashmiri Pandav might soon be wreaking havoc in the Indian Premier League with a little tutelage from the likes of Chris Gayle and Virender Sehwag.