Azmatullah Omarzai

Born in March 24, 2000, Azmatullah Omarzai is an all-rounder who bats right-handed in the middle order and bowls right-arm medium-fast pace. In January 2021, he made his debut for the Afghanistan cricket team on the international front. He played for Afghanistan in the Cricket World Cup in 2023.

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 the 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

As a result of his all-around performance of 417 runs and 17 wickets in 2024, Azmatullah Omarzai was awarded the ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year and a member of the ICC ODI Team of the Year.  He is the first cricket player from Afghanistan to receive the annual ICC award for the One-Day International format.

Azmatullah Omarzai Career

Azmatullah Omarzai's domestic career began in 2017, and his international career began in 2021.

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. As of September 2025, he has played 16 IPL games and scored 99 runs. He has picked up 12 wickets as well.

Azmatullah Omarzai International Career

Azmatullah Omarzai has played internationally in all formats for the Afghanistan National Team.

Azmatullah Omarzai ODI Career

Azmatullah Omarzai made his ODI debut against Ireland in Abu Dhabi on January 21, 2021. 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. Omarzai scored 41 off 31 balls and claimed his first ODI five-wicket haul in a spectacular all-around effort against England in the 2025 Champions Trophy. His 67 off 63 against Australia two days later helped Afghanistan to a respectable total of 273, but the team was eliminated from the tournament due to a rain-soaked encounter.

As of September 2025, his ODI stats are shared below.

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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 Afghanistan 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. As of September 2025, his ODI stats are shared below.

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Azmatullah Omarzai Test Career

Omarzai's test career hasn't flourished as his ODI and T20 career. The all-rounder has played just 1 test match and didn't contribute as such. His test stats as of 2025 are below.

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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.