Chikara’s UPT20 show should draw IPL interest

Lucknow: To those in the know, five-time champions Chennai Super Kings decision to pay ₹8.4 crore for Uttar Pradesh’s batter Sameer Rizvi at the IPL 2024 auction wasn’t a surprise. Former Team India pacers Munaf Patel as well as RP Singh and few other scouts were there to shortlist the possible talent for the upcoming auction, and they must have been attracted by the manner in which both Chikara and Rizvi peppered the 73-yard boundaries of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana international Cricket Stadium here. “The way he batted this season is phenomenal, and I am sure that there would be a rush among the franchise to have him for the new IPL season,” said Chandra, adding, “I have been seeing him since his under-16 days as a junior selector and i can say that he is best in the country now.” The 21-year-old Rizvi, who had 455 runs in the 2023 season, has another good season – scoring 469 runs at a strike rate of 152.77 with the help of 31 boundaries and 32 sixes. In the UPT20 League, 24-year-old Ansari didn’t allow batters to free their arms and enjoyed the backing of Team India batter Rinku Singh, who captained champions Meerut Mavericks to top the league table before leaving for the Duleep Trophy second-round match.