Despite being just 24-year-old Azmatullah Omarzai has become a cornerstone for Afghanistan cricket. You would’ve surely heard that the likes of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi carry this high-flying Afghan team but a handful of players never stimulate the team to heights. Players like Omarzai have been quite influential. The superb all-round talent has been on a high. After his match-winning five-wicket haul against England, he has come up with one of his best ODI knocks, hammering a fiery 67 in a must-win clash against Australia.
Omarzai special in Lahore for Afghanistan
Omarzai’s brilliant innings ensured Afghanistan posted a formidable total against Australia. The early loss of Gurbaz in the very first over put Afghanistan under immediate pressure. However, Sediq Attal and Ibrahim Zadran steadied the innings with a crucial stand. Attal, after crafting a well-played 85, departed at an untimely juncture. He weathered the early storm by Spencer Johnson but couldn’t get to his deserved hundred.
Afghanistan then faltered in the middle overs as wickets tumbled rapidly. Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, and Rahmat Shah were unable to make contributions. Skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi found it extremely difficult to accelerate as well. At that moment, Afghanistan seemed to be heading towards nowhere, but Omarzai’s counterattack changed the momentum.
Omarzai came out all guns blazing, taking an aggressive approach from the get-go. He camped deep in his crease, timing his shots to perfection, and showed no fear in taking on both the pacers and spinners. The way he adjusted his technique to counter the minimal spin was pure class. His fearless batting kept the scoreboard ticking and injected much-needed momentum into Afghanistan’s innings. That explosive 67-run knock was a treat to watch, filled with five sixes and a solitary boundary. Rashid Khan contributed with a crucial late cameo (19 off 17).
Azmatullah Omarzai’s ODI stats since World Cup 2023
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Innings | 23 |
| Runs | 896 |
| Average | 56 |
| Strike Rate | 102.16 |
| 50s/100s | 7/1 |
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