Afghanistan have plenty to look forward to in talented spinner Mujeeb

• At 18-year-old Mujeeb Ur Rahman is the youngest player at the World Cup
• Mujeeb is the man for Afghanistan’s present as well as the future

At the age of only 18, Mujeeb Ur Rahman is the freshest face at this ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

But considering his rollercoaster ride so far, it’s clear that Afghanistan’s second spin sensation has an old head on those talented young shoulders.

Already dropped once this tournament – Mujeeb was not selected for the defeats by South Africa and New Zealand – the mystery man has made the most of his recall.

And while Rashid Khan might be the name on most people’s lips when it comes to Afghan spinners, Mujeeb is a star very much on the rise.

On Monday at the Hampshire Bowl, albeit in defeat by Bangladesh, the youngest cricketer at this World Cup proved he is a man for the present as well as Afghanistan’s future.

We got a sense that Mujeeb – who has already fetched a pretty penny in the IPL – was coming good when he finished with the conspicuously parsimonious figures of 0/44 from his ten overs in the six-fest against England last week.

Fast forward to the defeat to India and Mujeeb’s box of tricks was on full show as he bamboozled none other than Rohit Sharma, castling the in-form Indian opener on his way to an even more economical 1/26.

All the talk coming into the tournament had focused on his variations – the carrom ball, the googly, the orthodox off-spinner - and how to pick them.

But wickets had not been forthcoming, Sharma the only man he had dismissed in eight matches in a run stretching back to his time with Kings XI Punjab.

Indeed against Sri Lanka, he was only entrusted with three overs and it appeared this World Cup was not going to see the best of him.

But the familiar confines of Southampton – the teenager had a spell with Hampshire in last year’s T20 Blast – have brought the best out of him.

And his wicket-taking threat was on full display against a Bangladesh batting line-up that have impressed all and sundry so far this summer.

And the youngster is not a dry-track bully either – he offers his captain Guldbadin Naib endless options.

He took the new ball in the first powerplay and accounted for the in-form Liton Das, caught at short cover.

He then returned with the older ball in the middle and really got it to sing.

His faster, flatter finger spin, disguised beautifully alongside the slower loopier wrist spin had Soumya Sarkar beaten all ends up.

He even trapped the tournament’s top run scorer Shakib Al Hasan – well set on 51 – in front with a gorgeous carrom ball.

His work was not done there though, he returned at the death and demanded a slip, such was his attacking threat against the impressive Mushfiqur Rahim.

He finished with figures of 3/39 from his ten overs, only conceded one boundary all day, and gave his Afghan teammates something to try and chase with the bat.

The hesitant teenager that began this World Cup has come of age.

Middlesex will be licking their lips when he arrives at the home of cricket at the end of this World Cup.

But before then, the youngster will be desperate to help his side to victory in one of their final two games up in Leeds against either Pakistan or the West Indies.