Azmatullah Omarzai

Azmatullah Omarzai player profile

A fast-bowling allrounder who can bowl in the powerplay and hit big sixes down the order is always a prized asset in cricket, and Azmatullah Omarzai is no different.

Omarzai became a key factor in helping Afghanistan transform from a spin-heavy attack to a more well-rounded team.

When Omarzai started his career, he was a batter, with bowling a secondary skill. However, he worked on his bowling and developed into Afghanistan's premier seam-bowling allrounder, and soon rose above the experienced Gulbadin Naib in the pecking order.

Omarzai made his ODI debut in January 2021 and his T20I debut in 2022, but it was 2023 when he really broke out.

After impressive displays in the BPL, where he took 15 wickets, he was signed up by Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL and he shone there as well.

In July 2023, he scored his maiden ODI half-century against Bangladesh before scoring a measured 62 against India in the World Cup. The knock showed that he was more than just a dasher with the bat.

This was followed by unbeaten half-centuries against Sri Lanka and South Africa in the tournament.

In January 2024, Omarzai played a seminal innings against Sri Lanka. He came in to bat when Afghanistan were 19 for 3 chasing 383, and they were soon reduced to 55 for 5. But Omarzai put on a 242-run stand with Mohammad Nabi, as he finished unbeaten on 149, taking Afghanistan close in an unlikely chase.

His performances over the previous year saw him picked in the IPL as well, essentially replacing Hardik Pandya in the allrounder role at Gujarat Titans. He went on to help Afghanistan reach their first World Cup semi-final in the T20 edition in 2024.