Raj Limbani, son of a farmer, is an India U-19 cricketer with his primary role being one of a right-arm medium-pacer. Hailing from Dayapar, a village in Kutch, Limbani had to shift from his home at an early age in 2017 to Vadodara, where his father’s brother, Manilal Patel, worked as an employee of the Gujarat state government. To shape up Limbani’s cricket career, Manilal enrolled him in Motibaug Cricket Club, also the hotbed of the Pathan and Pandya brothers. While the youngster already had an X-factor in him, Limbani, with the proper guidance at Motibaug, became skilful, learning to move the ball in both directions. In the Vinoo Mankad and Cooch Behar Trophies in the last three years, he has picked up a total of 52 wickets in 12 matches. After getting selected for the men’s Under-19 One Day Challenger Trophy in 2022, where he scalped four wickets in three matches, he received a ticket to the India U-19 for Asia Cup 2023. In the first match of the tournament against Afghanistan, Limbani claimed three wickets. This was not it. He unleashed himself in the match versus Nepal, grabbing seven wickets for just 13 runs, which is the second-best bowling figure by an Indian in U-19 ODIs. With two dismissals in the next clash against Bangladesh, he closed the competition as the highest wicket-taker (12 wickets). His name was also shortlisted for the IPL 2024 auction. But as he was called up for trials by a few franchises at a time when he was playing the Quadrangular series, he could not go and ultimately had to let go of a possible IPL contract. Limbani also earned a place in the India U-19 squad for the World Cup 2023 as a potent figure in the pace unit. He was lethal with the new ball, getting significant shape both ways and grabbed 11 wickets in the tournament. (As of February 2024)
