Sarfaraz Ashraf, IPL 2017, IPL, KSCA, left-arm chinaman
Sarfaraz Ashraf.Image credit: Sarfaraz Ashraf

T20 specialist Sarfaraz Ashraf, who recently made the headlines after picking up five wickets in one over in a Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) T20 game, feels he has it in him to succeed in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Ashraf, who bowls Chinaman, had an incredible outing in that match played last week when he took six wickets overall for Young Pioneer Cricket Club without conceding a single run. With the auction for IPL 2017 scheduled in Bengaluru next month, the 27-year-old has every reason to believe that he might be picked up by one of the IPL franchises, especially after that feat.

Read: Eoin Morgan may miss out on IPL contract

The IPL franchises are also known to recognise special talents and a number of players, who were otherwise not known previously, came to focus after performing in the IPL. Can Ashraf also be one of them?

Born in Muzaffarpur in Bihar, Ashraf resides in Bangalore but has never played for Karnataka. He has appeared for Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, but when it comes to the IPL, the left-arm bowler said he wants to play for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, which is led by India captain Virat Kohli. "Being from Bangalore, I hope I will get a chance to play for RCB," Ashraf told the International Business Times, India.

"I am very eager to play in the Indian Premier League. I hope some officials or scouts of an IPL team might have seen my performances of late. If they have seen, I can be invited for trials in the future. I have a lot of variations in my bowling. I can bowl different balls in one over. It is such variety which will always come handy in the T20 format to trouble the batsmen and dismiss them," he added.