AUS vs AFG | Twitter reacts to Head’s blitz and Lahore rain keeps Afghanistan’s qualification chance in jeopardy
The important clash between Australia and Afghanistan have been abandoned due to thirty minutes of rain in Lahore. Sediqullah Atal’s 85 and Azmatullah Omarzai’s unbridled 67 propelled Afghanistan to 273 before Travis Head’s quickfire fifty was paused by rainfall, leading to abandoned affair.
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International career
Azmatullah Omarzai started playing cricket at the age of 14. Omarzai quickly gained attention due to his skills and made his way into the Afghan national cricket team.
- 2018 - Under-19 Cricket World Cup: In 2017, Omarzai earned a spot in Afghanistan’s Under-19 team for the 2018 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. This was an important moment in his career.
- 2018 - ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup: Omarzai then joined Afghanistan’s under-23 team for the 2018 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup. This tournament allowed him to play against top teams from Asia and further develop his skills.
- 2019 - ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup: Omarzai’s solid performances in the 2018 tournament earned him a place in the 2019 edition of the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup, held in Bangladesh. Here, he further demonstrated his potential as an all-rounder.
- 2021 - ODI and T20I Debut: Omarzai made his debut for the Afghanistan national team in January 2021, playing against Bangladesh in both ODIs and T20Is. His debut was impressive, with him scoring a half-century in his first ODI. In T20Is, he contributed with a quick 30 runs.
- 2023 - Cricket World Cup: In the 2023 Cricket World Cup, Omarzai became a key player for Afghanistan. His all-round abilities helped the team compete at a high level during the tournament.
- January 2024 - Remarkable Innings Against Sri Lanka: In January 2024, Omarzai played one of his best innings against Sri Lanka. Afghanistan was struggling at 19 for 3 and later 55 for 5 while chasing 383 runs. Omarzai, however, partnered with Mohammad Nabi to score 242 runs. He finished unbeaten on 149 runs, almost helping Afghanistan pull off a stunning victory.
- 2024 - T20 World Cup Semi-Final: In 2024, Omarzai played a crucial role in helping Afghanistan reach their first-ever T20 World Cup semi-final. His all-round performances were essential to this achievement.
Azmatullah Omarzai's career continues to grow as he contributes to Afghanistan’s success. His ability to perform under pressure, both with the bat and the ball, has made him an important player for the team. His future in Afghan cricket looks bright as he gains more experience.
Leagues Participation
Azmatullah Omarzai has competed in multiple cricket leagues, playing for different teams in various countries. Below are the details of his participation in each league by year.
Pakistan Super League
In 2023, Azmatullah Omarzai played for Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). His first match was against Karachi Kings. In a match against Multan Sultans, Omarzai took 2 wickets for 62 runs. He also took 2 wickets in a game against Lahore Qalandars.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Opponent
|
Wickets
|
Runs
|
|
2023
|
Peshawar Zalmi
|
Karachi Kings
|
0
|
-
|
|
2023
|
Peshawar Zalmi
|
Multan Sultans
|
2/62
|
-
|
|
2023
|
Peshawar Zalmi
|
Lahore Qalandars
|
2
|
-
|
Shpageeza Cricket League 2020
In 2020, Azmatullah Omarzai played in the Shpageeza Cricket League. He scored 171 runs in 6 innings, with an average of 86 and a strike rate of 155. Omarzai also took 5 wickets. He was named Player of the Tournament. In the final, he scored 14 runs and took 1 wicket.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Runs
|
Wickets
|
Opponent
|
Final Result
|
|
2020
|
Kabul Eagles
|
14
|
1
|
Mis Ainak Knights
|
-
|
Bangladesh Premier League
In January 2024, Omarzai played for Rangpur Riders in the BPL. He helped his team defeat Comilla Victorians by scoring 36 runs from 20 balls and taking 2 wickets for 31 runs. In another match, he played with Babar Azam to lead Rangpur Riders to victory against Sylhet Strikers.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Opponent
|
Runs
|
Wickets
|
|
2024
|
Rangpur Riders
|
Comilla Victorians
|
36
|
2/31
|
|
2024
|
Rangpur Riders
|
Sylhet Strikers
|
-
|
-
|
Lanka Premier League
In the LPL) 2024, Omarzai played for Jaffna Kings. In a match against Galle Marvels, he scored 35 runs from 13 balls, including four boundaries and two sixes, to help his team win.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Opponent
|
Runs
|
Wickets
|
|
2024
|
Jaffna Kings
|
Galle Marvels
|
35
|
-
|
Indian Premier League
In 2024, Omarzai made his debut in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Gujarat Titans. In his first match against Mumbai Indians, he scored 17 runs from 11 balls and took 2 wickets for 27 runs. He played in seven matches that season, scoring 42 runs and taking 4 wickets.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Opponent
|
Runs
|
Wickets
|
|
2024
|
Gujarat Titans
|
Mumbai Indians
|
17
|
2/27
|
|
2024
|
Gujarat Titans
|
Royal Challengers Bangalore
|
-
|
-
|
|
2025
|
Punjab Kings
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
In April 2024, Omarzai played his final match for Gujarat Titans against Royal Challengers Bangalore, but did not have much of an impact.
In 2025, Omarzai joined Punjab Kings for 2.4 crore after a bidding war with Chennai Super Kings.
Domestic career
Azmatullah Omarzai began his domestic career in 2017. He debuted in List A cricket for Mis Ainak Region during the Ghazi Amanullah Khan Regional One Day Tournament. His first-class debut came in March 2018, when he played for Speen Ghar Region in the Ahmad Shah Abdali 4-day Tournament.
In 2018, he joined Paktia for the Afghanistan Premier League (APL), where he played for Paktia Panthers. He also took part in the Shpageeza Cricket League in 2020 and was named joint player of the tournament.
Omarzai showed his skills with both bat and ball in domestic competitions. His strong performances for Mis Ainak Region and Speen Ghar Region helped him gain recognition as a reliable all-rounder. His performances in key matches caught the attention of selectors, leading to his place in the national team.
Records and achievements
Azmatullah Omarzai has reached many important milestones throughout his cricket career. His performances with both bat and ball have helped him set several records and earn awards. Here are some of his key achievements:
Awards:
- Joint Player of The Tournament at the Shpageeza Cricket League (2020)
Records:
- First Afghan batter to remain unbeaten in the 90s in a completed innings in CWC history (97 runs)
- Most runs in an innings at No. 5 (97) for Afghanistan in Cricket World Cups
- Most runs in an innings at No. 5 (149) for Afghanistan in ODIs
- 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)
- Part of the second-highest partnership for Afghanistan in ODIs with Mohammad Nabi (242 runs), after Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran's 256-run partnership
- Helped create the highest sixth-wicket partnership with Mohammad Nabi for Afghanistan
- Played in the second-highest sixth-wicket partnership with Mohammad Nabi, after Luke Ronchi and Grant Elliott's 267 run partnership
Personal life
Azmatullah Omarzai, a well-known cricketer from Afghanistan, has built a life both in and out of the sport.
Family
Azmatullah Omarzai comes from a supportive family. Though details about his wife and children are not widely known, it is clear that his family has been a strong influence in his journey to success in cricket. His family’s support played a key role in his rise as a cricketer.
Financial Status
Azmatullah Omarzai has an estimated net worth between $1 million and $3 million. This includes earnings from his cricket career and likely endorsements and sponsorship deals. As a high-profile cricketer for Afghanistan, he may have deals with companies looking to use his popularity to promote their brands. However, specifics about these deals are not publicly available.
Cars and House
Information about Azmatullah Omarzai's cars and home is not available in public sources. He keeps this part of his life private.
Scandals
In 2023, Azmatullah Omarzai was involved in a controversy during the second T20I match against Bangladesh. He was found guilty of violating the ICC Code of Conduct. The violation was related to actions that could provoke an aggressive reaction from an opponent after being dismissed. Omarzai and the Afghanistan team’s coach, Jonathan Trott, were fined 15% of their match fees.
During the 2023 ODI World Cup, a viral moment occurred when Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya celebrated after bowling out Omarzai for 62. This caught the attention of many on social media.
Fans
Azmatullah Omarzai has many fans, especially after his solid performances in the 2023 World Cup. His 97 against South Africa was widely praised. Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif called him a "brave young champion". On Instagram, Omarzai has around 140k followers. His fans continue to support and cheer for him online.
