Afghanistan all-rounder Karim Janat has become the 10th cricketer from his country to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Janat received his maiden IPL cap from fellow Afghan and Gujarat Titans (GT) star Rashid Khan ahead of their match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Jaipur on Monday, April 28.
Janat is now the fourth Afghan player to represent Gujarat Titans, joining the likes of Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, and Azmatullah Omarzai. His inclusion highlights the growing influence of Afghan cricketers in the world’s biggest T20 league.
An experienced T20 campaigner, Janat has featured in 177 T20 matches, scoring 2,759 runs at a strike rate of 133.5 and picking up 138 wickets with an economy of 7.7 runs per over. His ability to contribute with both bat and ball makes him a valuable addition to the Titans’ squad.
Karim Janat was acquired by Gujarat Titans for INR 75 lakh during the IPL 2025 mega auction. At 26 years old, he already has significant international experience, having played 67 T20Is for Afghanistan, amassing 691 runs at a strike rate of 115.93. His best bowling figures in T20Is — 5/11 — came against the West Indies in Lucknow in 2019, and remain his best across all T20 formats.
Apart from his national duties, Janat has also showcased his skills in other prominent leagues including the International League T20 (ILT20), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Lanka Premier League (LPL), and the Afghanistan Premier League (APL).
As Gujarat Titans push for the top spot on the IPL 2025 points table, the addition of a versatile player like Karim Janat could prove to be a strategic boost. A win against Rajasthan Royals today would take the Titans back to the top of the standings.
