He will be representing Gulf Giants in the ILT20 2025–26 season.
Punjab Kings star Azmatullah Omarzai put up a superb all-round performance for Afghanistan against Bangladesh in the first ODI of the series at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. With this performance, he boosts his Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 retention chances.
In the match, Afghanistan bowled first and restricted Bangladesh to just 221 runs in 48.5 overs. For Afghanistan, Azmatullah Omarzai was one of the standout bowlers, taking three wickets. He dismissed Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
Azmatullah finished with figures of 3 for 40 in 9 overs at an economy rate of 4.40. His first two wickets came in the powerplay and the third in the 48th over. He was the star performer with the ball for Afghanistan. Along with him, Rashid Khan also took three wickets, Allah Ghazanfar claimed two, and Nangeyalia Kharote picked up one. For Bangladesh, skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz scored 60, while Towhid Hridoy made 56.
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In reply, Afghanistan chased down the target in 47.1 overs with five wickets in hand. Batting at No. 6, Azmatullah Omarzai came to the crease after the team lost quick wickets, from 136 for 2 to 136 for 4. He then stabilized the innings by scoring 40 runs off 44 balls, hitting six fours and one six with a strike rate of 90.91, helping Afghanistan regain control of the match.
Omarzai shared a 59-run partnership with Mohammad Nabi before getting out. Although Afghanistan suffered a mini setback after a good start, his all-round performance with both bat and ball played a key role in guiding his team to victory. Alongside him, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rahmat Shah scored 50 each, while Hashmatullah Shahidi contributed 33.
For Bangladesh, Tanzim Hasan Sakib took three wickets and Mehidy Hasan picked up one. Azmatullah Omarzai was named Player of the Match for his brilliant all-round display.
With this performance, Azmatullah Omarzai has boosted his chances of being retained in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the upcoming season. He didn’t have a great IPL 2025 season for Punjab Kings, playing nine matches where he scored 57 runs in five innings and took eight wickets in eight innings. Since then, he has played 11 T20Is, scoring 167 runs and taking nine wickets. This was his first ODI since the IPL, and he made a strong impact with a good all-round performance.
Omarzai will have more chances to perform before the IPL 2026 auction with Gulf Giants in the ILT20 2025–26 season. Doing well there could increase his chances of being retained.
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