Afghanistan's star bowler, Azmatullah Omarzai, played a key role in their crucial win against England in the 2025 Champions Trophy by 8 runs. His five-wicket haul at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore helped Afghanistan knock England out of the tournament.
Who is Azmatullah Omarzai?
Azmatullah Omarzai, born on March 24, 2000, in Afghanistan, Azmatullah Omarzai has played a key role in making Afghanistan’s bowling attack more balanced, shifting from a spin-heavy approach to a more all-rounded unit.
Initially, Omarzai was primarily a batter with bowling as a secondary skill. However, he worked hard on his bowling and developed into Afghanistan’s top seam-bowling all-rounder, surpassing experienced players like Gulbadin Naib.
He made his ODI debut in January 2021 and his T20I debut in 2022, but it was in 2023 that he truly made a name for himself. After an impressive performance in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), where he took 15 wickets, he was signed by Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and continued to shine.
In July 2023, he scored his first ODI half-century against Bangladesh, followed by a well-constructed 62 against India in the World Cup, proving he was more than just an aggressive hitter. He then played crucial unbeaten knocks against Sri Lanka and South Africa in the same tournament.
His consistent performances earned him a place in the IPL with Gujarat Titans, filling Hardik Pandya’s all-rounder role. In 2024, he also helped Afghanistan reach their first-ever T20 World Cup semi-final.
Afghanistan stay alive in tournament after knocking out England
Afghanistan fought hard to secure a thrilling win against England. Ibrahim Zadran made history by scoring the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history, surpassed Ben Duckett’s record from this edition against Australia. This victory keeps Afghanistan’s hopes alive as they chase qualification in their debut ICC Champions Trophy.
