Afghanan’s hero vs England grew up playing cricket on streets of Nangarhar

Afghanan defeated England eight runs in a thrilling Champions Trophy clash that went to the last over. While Ibrahim Zadran scored 177 runs — a record score in the Champions Trophy — in the first innings to help the side set a total of 325/7, it was Azmatullah Omarzai who also helped him with a 31-ball 41. Then, he helped the Asian side win claiming five wickets in their defence of 326.
Omarzai ended with figures of five wickets for 58 runs from his 9.5 overs. Among his five wickets, he claimed the wickets of Jos Buttler, centurion Joe Root and Jamie Overton, who was threatening to take England over the line to victory.
Who is Azmatullah Omarzai?
The 24-year-old Omarzai is an all-rounder for Afghanan. He made his ODI debut for Afghanan in January 2021 and a debut in the shortest format of the game a year later. 2023, though, was his breakout year. He scored his maiden half-century in ODIs against Bangladesh in July 2023. Then, he scored 62 against India in the World Cup.
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He’s also played for Gujarat Titans in the IPL.
Growing up in shadow of war
Omarzai grew up in Nangarhar, playing cricket on the streets. But he and his brothers were not allowed to step outside the house after sunset. Why? Because their region was one of the strongholds of Tehreek-e-Taliban, who were battling against the Pakan army.
In 2014, when Afghanan beat Bangladesh for the first time, in an Asia Cup game, Omarzai’s father asked the 14-year-old what he wanted to do when he grew up. He replied instantly: he wanted to become a cricketer because he loved cricket more than anything else.
“In 2014, me and my family were watching Afghanan’s match against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup. Afghanan won that match and even my father, who did not understand much about the sport, enjoyed the experience. He used to ask us what was happening whenever we celebrated any four or six hit our team. He celebrated Afghanan’s victory and gave us the car keys to go out and celebrate even though we were not allowed to roam out in the evenings,” Omarzai had told the Afghanan Cricket Board’s (ACB) YouTube channel in 2021.Story continues below this ad
“When we came back, my father asked me if I wanted to become a cricketer. I told him that I had loved the game for a long time and played tennis-ball street cricket. After that, my father allowed me to play,” he said.
Starting with street cricket
His start in the sport began as a “impact sub”.
“I have sweet memories of street cricket. My elder brothers used to play tennis-ball cricket. One day, they needed a player and decided to take me in. During the match, the situation at one time was such that the opposition needed only 15-16 runs with five wickets in hand. The captain threw me the ball. I used to bowl off-breaks back then. I grabbed the opportunity and turned around the match taking four wickets in a single over and we won the match,” he said.
Quick road to success
It took Omarzai barely four years from playing on the street with a tennis ball to representing the Afghanan U-19 team at the 2018 World Cup.Story continues below this ad
In the quarter-final of the U19 World Cup, Omarzai smashed a 23-ball 66, which included seven maximums, against hosts New Zealand to help Afghanan win 202 runs.
“The U-19 Cricket World Cup in New Zealand was a great experience and a great start to my career. Against New Zealand, Ibrahim Zadran, Gurbaz and Basheer Shah gave us a brilliant start. Then I went in and executed the plan and the role that the coach had given me as a finisher. It was the first match I played which was broadcast live,” Omarzai recalled.