He hasn’t scored a T20I fifty in 10 matches since the 2024 World Cup.
The Asia Cup 2025 is all set to kickstart on September 9. Afghanistan and Hong Kong will lock horns at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. One of the concerns ahead of the tournament is the form of star batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz. He is struggling to find his rhythm.
Everyone knows the talent Gurbaz possesses. He has all the shots in the game and can be pleasing to the eye when he gets going. However, he still hasn’t been able to score runs for his team, and it is slowly becoming a major worry.
The wicket-keeper batter has been one of Afghanistan’s most exciting batters since his T20I debut in 2019. In 71 matches, he has scored 1781 runs with an average of 25.08 and a strike rate of 132.71. Gurbaz has one century and 10 fifties to his name, which shows he can play big innings. But the main problem with his batting has been consistency, something that still troubles him and the team.
His recent form has not been encouraging. Since 2024, Gurbaz played 26 T20Is and scored 617 runs at an average of 23.73 and a strike rate of 123.89. He scored five half centuries during this period. Many times, he got out after looking set, and that left Afghanistan struggling at the top.
The struggles were visible in the recent tri-series against Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, where Gurbaz played five matches but could only score 98 runs. His best efforts were 40 and 38, while the rest of his innings ended in single digits. This only added to the questions around his form heading into the Asia Cup.
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His last T20I half-century came during the 2024 T20 World Cup against Australia, where he made 60. Since then, he has played 10 matches without a fifty and has recorded five single-digit scores, including two ducks. Such a run of poor lackluster form is worrying for a player who is expected to give Afghanistan quick and solid starts.
Even in Global leagues, Gurbaz has been unable to turn things around. In IPL 2025, he scored only 74 runs in five matches. His form was dissapointing in ILT20 and SA20 as well, making just seven runs in three games and 151 runs in seven games, respectively.
One of the reasons for Gurbaz’s inconsistent form is that he goes for big shots from the start, which he should change it now. If he learns to settle in, play simple shots, and build his innings, his performance can get better. Afghanistan will rely on him in the Asia Cup, as his runs at the top can give the team a strong chance to succeed.
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