Who is Sameer Rizvi? All You Need to Know About the Big-hitting UP Youngster Who Joins CSK for INR 8.4 Cr

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auction arena in Dubai witnessed several path-breaking deals on Wednesday. Australian pacer Mitchell Starc set a new record with a KKR deal worth Rs 24.75 crore while his captain, Pat Cummins, was roped in by the SunRisers Hyderabad. Among the bigwigs, there was one uncapped player who caused a similar stir, dragging multiple franchises into an intense bidding war.

Sameer Rizwi, a right-hand batter from Meerut, was purchased by Chennai Super Kings for a whopping sum of INR 8.4 crore. The defending champions were first to raise the paddle and then Gujarat Titans showcased their keen interest to have the 20-year-old onboard. As the battle between the two franchises took Rizwi’s price beyond the 7 crore mark, the Delhi Capitals jumped into the ring to further elevate the stakes.

Catch all the latest updates of the IPL 2024 auction here with our special page for the top 10 most expensive buys at the IPL 2024 Auction. Follow our comprehensive coverage for real-time updates of the hottest bidding wars on our IPL 2024 Auction Live Blog.

In the end, it was the Super Kings to acquire the young UP batter for INR 8.4 crore.

Sameer Rizvi – all you need to know

A former India Under-19 player, Rizwi made his first-class debut in 2020 against Madhya Pradesh. But the beginning of his professional career wasn’t impressive as he registered scores of 0 and 2 on his debut game.

But two years down the line he emerged as one of the finest players in the shortest format from Uttar Pradesh. His recent heroics in the inaugural edition of the UPT20 led to glory as he is set to flourish under the wings of legendary captain MS Dhoni.

Representing Kanpur Superstars, Rizvi scored the fastest hundred in the competition. Smashing the most number of sixes for his team, the 20-year-old Meerut boy finished with 455 runs in nine innings in the tournament.

A magnificent performance in the UPT20 earned him a trial at three franchises, including Punjab Kings. But his commitment to UP in the Men’s U-23 State A Trophy championship didn’t allow him to attend the trials.

The youngsters carried the momentum in age-group cricket as well. Appointed as the captain of UP, Rizvi finished the tournament as the highest run-getter. He smashed 91 off 65 deliveries in a one-day game against Rajasthan and also got a 50-ball 84 in the tournament final against Uttarakhand, helping his team win the title.

Rizvi’s T20 debut

The Meerut boy made his T20 debut for Uttar Pradesh against Manipur in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last year and received his cap from star Rinku Singh. So far, he has played 11 games and scored 295 runs at a strike rate of 134.70.