Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai produced a stunning performance against Zimbabwe in the first T20I of the three-match series on Thursday (October 29) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
The right-handed batter scored his maiden T20I century and helped Afghanistan post a huge total of 221 runs despite losing four wickets for just five runs.
Omarzai came out to bat at number six when Afghanistan were in serious trouble. However, he took control of the innings and scored 116 runs off just 50 balls. His knock included five boundaries and 12 sixes, and he scored at a strike rate of 232. He reached his century in just 44 balls, helping Afghanistan make a strong comeback.
His innings also helped him create several records in T20I cricket. Omarzai became the first batter from a Full Member nation to score a century while batting at number six or lower. He also broke a record held by West Indies legend Kieron Pollard.
Azmatullah Omarzai Creates History
Omarzai became the first player from a Full Member nation to score a century while batting at number six or lower in a T20I match.
Before him, England’s Sam Billings held the record for the highest score from this batting position among Full Member teams. Billings had scored 87 runs against West Indies at Warner Park in Basseterre in 2019.
Omarzai went past that record with his 116-run knock against Zimbabwe in Sharjah.
Most Runs From Number Six Or Below In A T20I Innings (Full Member Nations Only)
| Player | Runs | Opponent | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 116 | Zimbabwe | Sharjah | 2026 |
| Sam Billings | 87 | West Indies | Basseterre | 2019 |
| Cameron White | 85 | Sri Lanka | Barbados | 2010 |
| David Miller | 85 | Pakistan | Lahore | 2021 |
Overall, Omarzai is the fifth player to score a T20I century while batting at number six or lower. However, the other four centuries were scored by players from Associate nations.
Kieron Pollard’s Record Broken
Omarzai also broke a record held by West Indies legend Kieron Pollard. He became the first batter from a Full Member nation to hit 10 or more sixes in a T20I innings while batting at number six or lower.
Before Omarzai, Pollard held the record with eight sixes against New Zealand in Auckland in 2020. South Africa’s Tristan Stubbs and Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka later equalled that mark.
Omarzai hit 12 sixes against Zimbabwe to set a new record among batters from Full Member nations.
Most Sixes From Number Six Or Below In A T20I Innings (Test Playing Nations Only)
| Player | Sixes Hit | Opponent | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 12 | Zimbabwe | Sharjah | 2026 |
| Kieron Pollard | 8 | New Zealand | Auckland | 2020 |
| Tristan Stubbs | 8 | England | Bristol | 2022 |
| Dasun Shanaka | 8 | Pakistan | Pallekele | 2026 |
Omarzai’s 12 sixes are also the joint-second-highest by a batter coming in at number six or lower in T20I cricket. Austria’s Abidullah Kotwa also hit 12 sixes against Hungary in 2026.
Slovenia’s Izaz Ali remains at the top of the overall list with 13 sixes against Serbia in Belgrade in 2025.