Azmatullah Omarzai

Born on March 24, 2000, Azmatullah Omarzai is an all-rounder who bats right-handed in the middle order and bowls right-arm medium-fast pace. He is a budding prospect in the pool of talent in the cricketing nation of Afghanistan and is a rising star in the making.

Omarzai is one of those rare breed of cricketers who can bat in the middle order solidly and can bowl at a decently good medium-fast pace. This gives him the potential to savor if Afghanistan is to make it big in the cricketing world.

Azmatullah Omarzai: Along the Years

Azmatullah Omarzai Records

• First Afghanistani batter to be unbeaten in the 90s in a completed innings in CWC history (97)

• Highest runs in an innings at No.5 (97*) for Afghanistan in Cricket World Cups

• Highest runs in an innings at No.5 (149*) for Afghanistan

• Sixth-highest runs in an innings at No.5 among full-member nations after Heinrich Klaasen (RSA), AB de Villiers (RSA), Andrew Symonds (AUS) twice, and Jos Buttler (ENG)

• Involved in the second-highest partnership for Afghanistan in ODIs with Mohammad Nabi (242) after Rahmanullah Gurbaz-Ibrahim Zadran’s partnership of 256 runs

• Involved in the highest sixth-wicket partnership with Mohammad Nabi for Afghanistan

• Involved in the second-highest sixth-wicket partnership with Mohammad Nabi after Luke Ronchi-Grant Elliott’s (NZ) partnership of 267* runs

Azmatullah Omarzai Awards and Accolades

• Joint Player of The Tournament Award in the Shpageeza Cricket League in 2020

Azmatullah Omarzai Career

Azmatullah Omarzai offers a multi-dimensional option that enables the team to adjust the combination with easier effect.

Azmatullah Omarzai Domestic Career

Azmatullah Omarzai made his List-A debut for Mis Ainak Region on August 10, 2017. He impressed on his domestic debut by taking 3 wickets and bowling a maiden as well.

Omarzai made his First-Class debut for the Speen Ghar Region on March 25, 2018. He picked a solitary wicket and scored 27 runs in the first innings, but did not contribute in the second innings.

The 24-year-old all-rounder made his T20 debut for the Paktia Panthers in the Afghanistan Premier League. He had a debut to forget as he was dismissed for a golden duck by Australian all-rounder Ben Cutting.

Azmatullah Omarzai IPL Career

Following his exploits in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India, Azmatullah Omarzai was bought by the Gujarat Titans for his base price of INR 50 lakhs. He had a forgettable maiden IPL season as he could not replicate his international form and eventually, the IPL 2023 runners-up finished 8th on the table.

Azmatullah Omarzai International Career

Azmatullah Omarzai has been a valuable asset within the limited time he has played for Afghanistan and would be looking to contribute more with his all-round abilities.

Azmatullah Omarzai ODI Career

Azmatullah Omarzai made his ODI debut against Ireland in Abu Dhabi on January 21, 2021. He did not have a memorable debut, as he scored just 2 runs and went wicketless.

He was drafted into the Afghanistan squad to play in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India.

He picked 7 wickets and had a good tournament with the bat by scoring 353 runs in 9 games, including an unbeaten 97 against South Africa when he was left stranded as Afghanistan was bowled out for 244 in 50 overs.

Omarzai shattered records with Mohammad Nabi in their valiant fight against Sri Lanka in an ODI in January 2024. They stitched a partnership of 242 runs for the sixth wicket as Omarzai scored an unbeaten 149 and Nabi scored 136 runs with Afghanistan going down fighting by a margin of 42 runs.

Azmatullah Omarzai T20I Career

Azmatullah Omarzai made his T20I debut against Bangladesh in Mirpur on March 03, 2022. He had a decent outing as he took 2 wickets and scored 20 runs.

Omarzai played in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 and was drafted into the Afghanistani squad to play in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. He posted an unwanted record when he conceded 36 runs off an over, becoming the second bowler to do so after Stuart Broad in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2007, with Nicholas Pooran smashing 26 runs and 10 runs being conceded of extras.

Azmatullah Omarzai Under-19 Career

Azmatullah Omarzai played in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2018. He scored 99 runs in 4 innings and took 5 wickets.