Cape Town, April 24 (IANS) It has been a fairytale journey for medium pacer Kamran Khan, who rose from obscurity to shine among cricket's elite at the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Eighteen-year-old Kamran has no experience of playing in first-class cricket, yet the way he bowled Rajasthan Royals to a thrilling victory over Kolkata Knight Riders spoke about his mental toughness.
Shane Warne, who led a bunch of no-hopers to the inaugural title making some of them overnight stars, has given another talented cricketer in Kamran.
Kamran, a woodcutter's son from the crime-infested Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, ran away from his home and came to Mumbai to realise his dream of playing for the national team.
Kamran, an eighth grade drop-out, is the youngest among seven brothers and two sisters and lost both his parents when he was young.
In Mumbai, Kamran spent sleepless nights at the railway station with no home and no money, but never gave up the fight. Coach Naushad Khan spotted him and took him under his wing and groomed him.
Rajasthan Royals coach Darren Berry saw him bowling in a local tournament in Mumbai and was impressed by his bowling.
Warne too was taken aback with the youngster's ability to hurl the ball at a speed of 140 plus with his slinging action. Warne immediately picked him for Royals and there was no looking back for Kamran.
Warne's immense faith in Kamran's showed when the veteran preferred him over others for the last over and the deciding Super Over.
'His (Warne's) belief in me was really a big thing for me, but I was confident that if he threw the ball to me, then I will not let him down,' Kamran told reporters after Rajasthan Royals beat Kokata Knight Riders in IPL's first Super Over.
Warne said: 'I told him don't worry about the Super Over. If you hadn't bowled such a good last over, we would not have been in this situation.'
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