Raj Bawa

Raj Angad Bawa was born on November 12, 2002, in Nahan, Himachal Pradesh, and developed his cricket skills in Chandigarh. His family has a notable sporting legacy; his grandfather, Trilochan Singh Bawa, was a member of the Indian men’s hockey team that secured an Olympic gold medal at the 1948 London Games. Raj Bawa rose to prominence in age-group cricket, establishing himself as a left-handed batter and right-arm medium-fast bowler.

Bawa’s career progression included playing for the India national under-19 cricket team. He was instrumental in India’s victory at the 2021 ACC Under-19 Asia Cup and the 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. His performance in the 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup final against England was particularly significant, where he took five wickets and contributed 35 runs, earning him the Player of the Match award. In the same tournament, he scored 252 runs, averaging 63, and took nine wickets overall. His highest individual score by an Indian in the U-19 World Cup further highlighted his batting prowess.

Following his success in under-19 cricket, Bawa made his first-class debut for Chandigarh on February 17, 2022, in the 2021–22 Ranji Trophy, notably taking a wicket with his first delivery. He entered the Indian Premier League after being acquired by Punjab Kings for INR 2 crore in the 2022 IPL auction, making his Twenty20 debut on March 27, 2022. He later transitioned to the Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2025 IPL season, a team he was retained by, indicating continued recognition of his potential in professional cricket.