Azmatullah Omarzai completes 1,000 ODI runs with 67 vs Australia
The rising star of Afghan cricket, Azmatullah Omarzai, has completed 1,000 ODI runs.
He became the joint-third fastest from his nation to accomplish the milestone.
Omarzai reached the milestone with his 34th run in Afghanistan’s final league game in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy against Australia in Lahore.
He went on to play a vital 67-run knock. Here are his stats.
DYK
Omarzai made his ODI debut in January 2021 against Ireland in Abu Dhabi.
He took just 31 innings of 39 games to complete 1,000 runs.
As per ESPNcricinfo, Rahmat Shah also took as many innings to accomplish the milestone.
Only Ibrahim Zadran (24) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (27) have reached the milestone faster among Afghanistan batters.
Stats
Omarzai’s 63-ball 67 was laced with five maximums and a four.
Playing his 39th ODI, Omarzai has raced to 1,033 runs at 46.95.
The tally now includes eight fifties besides a ton. He has also scalped 36 wickets with his right-arm pace at 29.69.
Omarzai managed 22 runs in his only preceding ODI outing against the Aussies, which came in the 2023 WC.
Feats
In the 2023 World Cup, Omarzai scored 353 runs at 70.60, becoming one of only eight players to score more than 350 runs from No. 5 or lower in a single WC edition.
Meanwhile, Omarzai scored 41 runs besides claiming a fifer (5/58) in his preceding outing against England.
He scored 18 runs and picked up a wicket in Afghanistan’s opener vs South Africa.
Career
It is worth noting that Omarzai was named the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024.
His right-arm seam-bowling and handy batting skills played a key role in Afghanistan’s success last year.
He scored 417 runs at an average of 52.12 besides scalping 17 wickets at 20.47.
His individual brilliance was instrumental in Afghanistan’s four consecutive ODI series victories.
Knock
Omarzai arrived with the scorecard reading 159/4.
He was watchful early on as prominent names like Hashmatullah Shahidi (20) and Mohammad Nabi (1) fell cheaply.
The all-rounder hence had to operate alongside the tail-enders. Omarzai opened up his arms in the death overs and clobbered several maximums.
He was eventually dismissed by Ben Dwarshuis in the final over as Afghanistan finished at 273/10.
Omarzai equals Shah’s record
Here are his ODI numbers
Omarzai’s World Cup 2023 performance and records
ICC ODI Cricket of the Year
Omarzai aces the finisher’s role
Latest
Group B scenarios: How can Afghanistan qualify? Are South Africa favourites to finish on top?
AFG
AUS
Afghanistan chose to bat.
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VIDAR
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Day 3 – Kerala trail by 37 runs.
AUCK
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Auckland won by 91 runs
It’s now a three-way battle for semi-finals qualification from Group B, with two games to go
Afghanistan beat England to keep themselves in contention for the semi-finals • ICC/Getty Images
Afghanistan’s win over England means it’s now a three-way battle for semi-final qualification from Group B, with two games to go. Australia (three points, NRR 0.475) take on Afghanistan (two points, NRR -0.99) in Lahore on Friday, while South Africa (three points, NRR 2.14) face England (already eliminated) on Saturday. Here’s an explainer on who will qualify based on those two results.
If Australia and South Africa win
Australia and South Africa will qualify with five points each. The top spot in the group will be decided by the win margins, with South Africa favourites to finish first, given their comprehensive win over Afghanistan. Assuming a one-run win for South Africa after scoring 300, Australia need to win by 87 runs (with the same first-innings total) to go past South Africa’s NRR.
If Australia and England win
Australia will top the group with five points, while South Africa will still finish second on three.
If Afghanistan and South Africa win
South Africa will top with five points, while Afghanistan, with four points, will finish second ahead of Australia.
If Afghanistan and England win
Afghanistan will finish on top with four points. The second place will then go to either Australia or South Africa, who will both finish on three points. South Africa are well ahead on NRR currently, which means they will have to suffer a big loss to England for Australia to move ahead on NRR. So, if Australia lose by just one run after Afghanistan score 300, South Africa will have lose by 87 chasing the same target for their NRR to slip below Australia’s.
If Afghanistan vs Australia is washed out
There’s a possibility of showers in Lahore on Friday. If points are shared in that game, Australia will go up to four points and will be assured of qualification.
If South Africa beat England, they will top the group with five points, but if England win, then South Africa and Afghanistan will finish on three points each, which will bring NRR into the equation. Afghanistan (NRR -0.99) will almost certainly be eliminated then, as they need South Africa to lose by at least 207 runs (chasing 301) to move up to second place and qualify.
S Rajesh is stats editor of ESPNcricinfo. @rajeshstats
