Karim Janat creates history with IPL debut, joins Rashid Khan in elite list

The 26-year-old Afghanistan National Cricket Team bowling all-rounder Karim Janat made his debut in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Monday, April 28.

Karim Janat is playing his first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) match for the Gujarat Titans (GT) against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

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Karim Janat receives IPL debut cap from Rashid Khan

Janat entered the Indian Premier League 2025 mega auction with a base price of INR 75 lakh. Gujarat Titans bid for him and managed to rope him in for his base price.

Janat is heading into the Indian Premier League 2025 with a lot of experience under his belt. He has played 67 T20Is, 3 ODIs, and 2 Tests for the Afghanistan National Cricket Team. Janat has scored 691 runs in T20Is, 32 runs in ODIs, and 95 runs in Tests while picking up 42 wickets in the shortest format of the game.

Before representing the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, he played for teams like Fortune Barishal, Comilla Victorians, Colombo Stars, Sharjah Warriors, and Gulf Giants across different leagues in the world.

Meanwhile, Karim Janat received his debut IPL cap from his countryman Rashid Khan ahead of the game against the Rajasthan Royals, and he replaced Sherfane Rutherford in the Gujarat Titans playing XI.

Karim Janat becomes the 10th player from Afghanistan to play in the IPL

Janat created history with his debut in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he became just the 10th player from Afghanistan to feature in the marquee T20 league.

He joined the likes of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad, Gulbadin Naib, and Naveen-ul-Haq in the elite list of Afghanistan cricketers to play in the IPL.

Notably, the list would have had two more Afghanistan players' names, but injuries didn't let that happen. In 2018, the Royals picked left-arm wrist spinner Zahir Khan Pakteen, but he missed the competition due to injury, and a similar fate unfolded for spinner Allah Ghazanfar, who was ruled out of IPL 2025 due to a fracture, after being roped in by the Mumbai Indians.

Meanwhile, Karim Janat has become the fourth Afghanistan player to represent Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL after Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, and Azmatullah Omarzai.

Important to be ruthless in this format - Shubman Gill

Speaking ahead of the match at the toss, the GT skipper Shubman Gill emphasized on the importance of being ruthless in T20 cricket. He said:

"Some grass on the wicket, always nice to see that. We are looking to take each game as it is, not looking at the past. Important to be ruthless in this format. One change: Karim Janat makes his debut."

Meanwhile, RR skipper Riyan Parag stated that they are hopeful of a good result against GT. He asserted:

"Should be a good wicket, some low bounce, saw some dew last night so bowling first. Everyone in our team has gone through situations like this and they know how to get out of it. We've had honest talks. Just have to put a game together collectively and hope for a good result. We've played 35 overs of good cricket in the last three games. That's how cruel the IPL is. Two changes: Farooqi goes out, Theekshana comes in. Tushar goes out and Yudhvir comes in."