Salman Nizar grabbed attention during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) clash between Kerala and Mumbai with a brilliant 99 off 49 balls. His knock, featuring five fours and eight sixes, showcased his immense potential. Despite this performance, he went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Born on June 30, 1997, in Thalassery, Kerala, Salman is a left-handed middle-order batter. He debuted in first-class cricket in 2015 against Assam, followed by his List A and T20 debuts in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Although he scored just six runs in his T20 debut, his T20 career stats have been impressive. Before the game against Mumbai, Salman averaged nearly 40 at a strike rate of 135.93 across 24 matches.
Salman’s knock against Mumbai, a top-tier domestic side, was his highest T20 score and only his second half-century in the format. While he has yet to score a century in any format for Kerala, his highest first-class score is an unbeaten 95. He also made headlines in 2018 when he, along with others, raised concerns about Sachin Baby’s leadership to the Kerala Cricket Association.
In the match against Mumbai, Salman’s innings helped Kerala post a mammoth 234 runs. Mumbai, led by Shreyas Iyer, failed to chase the target despite Ajinkya Rahane’s 68 off 35 balls. Kerala secured a commanding 43-run victory under the captaincy of Sanju Samson.
At just 27, Salman has plenty of time to build on this performance. A consistent domestic season could further strengthen his case for IPL opportunities in the future.
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