Karim Janat made his debut in the Indian Premier League on Monday. The Afghanistan all-rounder played for the Gujarat Titans in their match against the Rajasthan Royals during the IPL 2025 season.
Janat was included in the playing eleven for the match held in Jaipur. He replaced West Indies player Sherfane Rutherford.
News of Rutherford's absence was confirmed by Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill during the pre-match toss. Rutherford was reportedly unwell.
Janat is the younger brother of former Afghanistan captain Asghar Afghan. He is the fourth player from Afghanistan to join the Gujarat Titans roster, following Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed, and Azmatullah Omarzai.
The debut cap was presented to Karim Janat by teammate Rashid Khan before the start of the match. Janat is known as a bowling all-rounder.
He previously featured in the 2016 U-19 World Cup, where he scored 273 runs. He later developed his bowling, capable of speeds around 140 kph.
In the 2017 Ghazi Amanullah Regional ODI Tournament, Janat finished as a leading wicket-taker.
Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill stated at the toss the team was focused on each game and the need to be ruthless in the format. Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag won the toss and elected to field.
The match saw Gujarat Titans bowl first. The playing XIs featured several changes for both sides as they competed in the ongoing IPL 2025 tournament.
Janat's inclusion provided the Gujarat Titans with an additional all-round option in their lineup against the Rajasthan Royals.
