Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai acknowledged the support of captain Rashid Khan and the coach after his all-round brilliance helped Afghanistan win the Asia Cup 2025 opener against Hong Kong by 94 runs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Batting first, Afghanistan posted a challenging total of 188. While the in-form opener Sediqullah Atal top-scored with an unbeaten 73 and carried his bat, it was Omarzai’s innings that provided the late flourish. Coming in at number six for the seventh time in his career, Omarzai smashed five sixes and two fours en route to his maiden T20I fifty. Having batted mostly at number four, Omarzai admitted that batting in the lower order is tough.
“Very tough batting in the lower order, all about belief,” Omarzai said after being named player of the match. “The captain and coach have belief in me; I was trying to back myself and was looking to hit straight, with the ball coming on nicely.”
After enjoying his time with the bat, Omarzai took the new ball and removed Zeeshan Ali. He was also involved in the run-out of Kalhan Challu.
When questioned about whether he identifies more as a batting or bowling all-rounder, Omarzai confidently stated that he sees himself equally in both roles: “I think I am both. When I bowl, I feel I am a proper bowler; when I bat, I feel I am a proper batter. It’s 50-50.”
There were question marks coming into the Asia Cup about Afghanistan’s middle order. The knocks by Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi should bring a sense of calm to the dressing room as they gear up for their next game against Bangladesh, which will be played on 16 September.
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