Munaf Musa Patel is an Indian cricketer who plays all forms of the game and bowls right-arm medium fast. He was born in Ikhtar, Gujarat, on July 12, 1983.
He played for India in the 2007 and 2011 ICC Cricket World Cups, as well as on many other tours.
Background
Munaf Patel made headlines in 2003 when former Australian pacer Dennis Lillee and former Australian captain Steve Waugh took notice of him. Munaf signed for Mumbai with the assistance of Sachin Tendulkar before ever playing first-class cricket for his native country.
Due to his ability to maintain pace and deliver at steady speeds of 130-140 kmph, he was regarded as India’s next major bowling talent.
Debut
Munaf Patel made his international debut against England in a Test match on March 9, 2006. His debut was a resounding success, with seven wickets for 97 runs.
In the following month, on 3 April 2009, he made his ODI debut against England in the same tour. On January 9, 2011, he made his T20 debut against England.
Rise to Prominence
Munaf Patel was a player who was plagued with injuries and had a difficult time recovering from them. In 2006, he was sent to the Australian Institute of Sport to boost his performance, and he was able to break into the Indian team.
When he bowled Phil Jaques, Michael Clarke, and Stuart Clark in the DLF Cup against Australia, he was the first player to win a series. Munaf Patel won his first Man of the Match award during the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy against England, where he took three wickets for just 18 runs.
With the departure of Wayne Parnell, he helped India secure their first match against South Africa in South Africa since 2003, a 1-run victory. His success for the national team in the 2011 World Cup was probably his best to date.
Club Career
Munaf started his cricket career as a member of a club rather than representing his country. In 2003, he joined the Mumbai cricket team, where he improved his pacing ability.
In 2008, he signed a three-year contract with the Rajasthan Royals, where he stayed for three seasons before joining the Mumbai Indians.
He spent three seasons with his second Mumbai-based team before being released after the sixth IPL. When he signed a contract with the Gujarat Lions in 2017, he returned to the IPL, but he was not a regular member of the playing XI.