The rise and fall of an IPL Champion: A tale of early promise and subsequent obscurity

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a spectacular platform for cricketers, providing them not just with fame but also fortune. For Indian players, IPL is a golden opportunity for young talents to shine. Many young Indian players have transitioned from domestic cricket to the IPL and eventually to the Indian national team. However, some have burst onto the scene only to fade away quickly, disappearing from the limelight. Among these, Iqbal Abdulla from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, stands out as a spin all-rounder who made it to the India-A team but couldn't secure a spot in the Indian national team, eventually fading into obscurity.

Iqbal Abdulla's KKR career

Iqbal Abdulla's stint with KKR spanned 5 seasons, making his mark as a left-arm orthodox spinner. He was first signed by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for Rs 12 lakh in the IPL 2008 season. However, Iqbal could only play one match in his debut season without taking any wickets.

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Iqbal became an IPL champion with KKR, playing from 2008 to the 2012 IPL season. During this time, he took 28 wickets in 33 matches for KKR, with his best performance in the 2011 season, claiming 16 wickets in 15 matches. In 2012, he was part of the KKR team that won the IPL under Gautam Gambhir's captaincy, marking their first trophy win.

Iqbal played for RR and RCB

After his time with KKR, Rajasthan Royals signed Iqbal for Rs 65 lakh, but he only played one match for them without taking a wicket and was released the following season. Royal Challengers Bangalore, led by Virat Kohli, then invested in him, keeping him for the 2015 season at Rs 65 lakh and then for Rs 10 lakh for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

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Playing alongside Virat Kohli, Iqbal represented RCB in three seasons, taking 4 wickets in 5 matches in 2015, 6 wickets in 8 matches in the 2016 IPL season, and 2 wickets in two matches in 2017. With a total of 40 wickets in 49 IPL matches, Iqbal's vibrant league career concluded when no team bid for him in the 2019 IPL season.

Iqbal Abdulla's domestic career

Iqbal Abdulla, 34, has played domestic cricket for teams like Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Mumbai, and Mizoram, featuring in 71 First-Class matches with 220 wickets to his name. He has also played in 98 List A matches, taking 131 wickets, and in 104 T20 matches, securing 86 wickets.

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