Sports

Omarzai’s 116‑ball Century Turns Afghanistan’s T20I on Its Head

By Pranav Shukla

Azmatullah Omarzai rescued Afghanistan from a disastrous start in the second T20I against Zimbabwe at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday. With the team reeling at 5/4, Omarzai scored 116 off 50 balls, hitting five fours and 12 sixes at a strike rate of 232. His knock is the highest individual score by a batter who entered at No. 6 or lower in a T20I involving Full Member nations, surpassing the previous record of 89 set by former Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi against Ireland in 2017. The record also places Omarzai ahead of Sam Billings (87 vs. West Indies, 2019), Cameron White (85* vs. Sri Lanka, 2010) and David Miller (85* vs. Pakistan, 2021). Afghanistan’s innings had collapsed after Zimbabwe’s bowlers reduced them to 5/4, with top‑order batters falling cheaply and Sediqullah Atal making only 17 off 21 before being dismissed in the ninth over. Omarzai partnered with Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, who scored 52 off 27, and the pair added 142 runs for the sixth wicket in just 59 balls. The partnership ended when Ijaz fell at 180. Omarzai continued his assault before being dismissed in the 19th over, delivering one of Afghanistan’s finest rescue acts in T20I history. Captain Rashid Khan finished the innings with an unbeaten 25 off six balls, including four sixes, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman remained not out on two as Afghanistan closed at 221/7, averaging 11.05 runs per over. Rashid also became the first bowler to claim 200 wickets in T20Is. Zimbabwe, despite Sikandar Raza’s century, could not chase the target. Raza scored his second T20I century but the visitors fell short, with Afghanistan’s early collapse forgotten after Omarzai’s intervention. Tafadzwa Tsiga contributed on his debut, and the dismissal of Ryan Burl further dented Zimbabwe’s hopes. The win extended Afghanistan’s dominance in the rivalry, marking their eighth consecutive T20I series victory against Zimbabwe; the visitors have yet to win a T20I series against Afghanistan.