Abu Dhabi, Sep 9 (IANS) Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai lit up the Asia Cup 2025 clash against Hong Kong with a whirlwind knock, smashing a blistering 53 off just 21 deliveries at the Zayed International Cricket Stadium.

In the process, he became the fastest Afghan batter to score a half-century in T20 internationals. With this innings, Omarzai etched his name into Afghanistan’s cricketing record books. He broke the previous fastest-fifty mark held jointly by Mohammad Nabi and Gulbadin Naib, both of whom had reached fifties in 21 balls. Nabi had achieved his milestone against Ireland, while Naib’s came against India.

Batting first, Afghanistan were wobbling at 95/4 when Omarzai walked in. Showing positive intent from the outset, he counterattacked fearlessly, taking on the bowlers with clean striking. His assault included three consecutive sixes off Ayush Shukla’s over, a passage of play that shifted the momentum decisively in Afghanistan’s favour.

Omarzai raced to his half-century in just 20 balls – the quickest in Afghanistan’s T20I history – before falling on 53. His explosive knock was laced with five sixes and two fours and provided the perfect acceleration in the death overs. Together with opener Sediqullah Atal, who anchored the innings with an unbeaten 73 off 52 balls, Omarzai stitched an 82-run partnership that powered Afghanistan to a daunting 188/6 in their 20 overs.

Two early wickets impacted the scoring rate, but Atal and Nabi stitched a vital partnership in the middle and kept the scoreboard moving as Afghanistan reached 41/2 at the end of the powerplay.

Nabi took a special liking towards pacer Aizaz Khan and struck him for a four and a six in his first over of the spell. In his next over, Nabi smashed Khan for two more boundaries as Afghanistan reached 77/2 at the halfway mark.

Spinner Kinchit Shah finally broke the 51-run partnership in the 11th over, with Nabi handing a catch to long-off and departing after scoring 33. Gulbadin Naib, who struck the Shah for a six over deep mid-wicket, failed to carry the momentum and was dismissed by the spinner in the 13th over to put pressure on Afghanistan. Azmatullah Omarzai joined Atal in the middle.

Meanwhile, Atal completed his well-deserved and disciplined half-century in 41 balls.

–IANS

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