Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif is convinced that Team India’s U-19 World Cup-winning all-rounder Raj Angad Bawa has the potential to become a future star in international cricket. Fresh from powering Yash Dhull-led Team India side to U-19 World Cup glory in the Caribbean, rookie Bawa entered the mega auction of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with hopes of playing domestic cricket’s biggest extravaganza in 2022. 

Bawa, who became the first Indian to take a five-wicket haul in an ICC final, triggered a bidding war between Punjab Kings (PBKS), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI) at the mega auction of the cash-rich league. Mayank Agarwal-starrer PBKS managed to outbid other franchises to acquire the services of the Indian all-rounder for the 15th season of the world’s richest T20 league – the IPL.

Talking about Bawa’s recruitment, former Indian cricketer Kaif explained why IPL teams were ready to spend extra cash on the U-19 cricketer at the mega auction. “I had seen the final… Bawa has got that X-Factor. Franchises look whether a player has got the talent to become a future star in the IPL. Bawa has got that talent. He was bowling excellent bouncers in the U19 World Cup and he fetched ₹2 crore today because of his skill-set. He didn’t earn that big sum just because of his performance in the final. He’s got that X-Factor too,” Kaif told Star Sports.

The 19-year-old was picked up by Punjab Kings for INR 2 crore at the mega auction. Bawa has joined the likes of Shikhar Dhawa, Kagiso Rabada, Jonn Bairstow and Liam Livingston for the new season of IPL. Earlier, Bawa had shattered Dhawan’s record for the highest score by an Indian at the U-19 World Cup. Bawa played an unbeaten knock of 162 off 108 deliveries (with 14 fours and eight sixes) against minnows Uganda.