In Afghanistan's heartbreaking loss to South Africa in a double Super Over, Azmatullah Omarzai had a decent performance, scoring 16 with the bat in the first Super Over. However, when he was tasked with bowling in the second one, Omarzai conceded 23 runs, including three sixes, as Afghanistan lost the match they had in their grasp.
In the build-up to the match against the UAE in New Delhi, where Afghanistan needed to win to continue their unbeaten streak and maintain their slim chances of reaching the Super Eights, Omarzai's bowling performance was inconsistent – he was his team's highest wicket-taker with four dismissals, but conceded over 40 runs in both matches at an economy rate of 10.3.
However, elite sportsmen step up with their best performance when it matters most to lead their team to victory, and Omarzai did exactly that on Monday – taking 4-15 and scoring 40 not out with the bat – to give Afghanistan their first win of this competition. This also made Omarzai the third player in this competition's history, after Dwayne Bravo and Shakib Al Hasan, to take a four-wicket haul and score over 30 runs in the same match.
“Azmat is undoubtedly one of the best in this cricketing world and in this generation. The way Azmat dominates in the team, not only in bowling, but also in batting and fielding, he is one of the best now in the world of cricket, whether it's a 50-over or 20-over game, and he is something different,” said Afghanistan all-rounder Gulbadin Naib in the post-match press conference.
The first ball of the match was a beauty – moving away from a good length as Aryansh Sharma edged it behind. The question was whether Rahmanullah Gurbaz got his gloves underneath it before the ball made contact with the turf. But Paul Reiffel decided he had not, and Sharma survived, but the movement generated by Omarzai was a threat.
The next ball beat Aryansh, while the other one after that was a touch shorter and moved across. But the fourth ball from Omarzai lured Aryansh to go for a pull, but it came too early, and the under-edge was cleanly caught by Gurbaz, giving Omarzai his first wicket. Naib, who has seen Omarzai develop from a promising youngster to becoming a key player in the team, revealed how he asked him to take five wickets in New Delhi.
“When we were talking in the morning, and Rashid (Khan, Afghanistan captain) was standing alongside, I told him that, ‘Azmat, I need 5 wickets from you,’ and he looked at me like anything. I said that because he has done it, and in the Champions Trophy, he took five wickets against England in Lahore and also scored runs, which gave us that indication. Our job as senior players is to give positive energy to the players.
“When he was bowling and took a wicket in the first over, I said, ‘One down, I need four more wickets.’ You can say this to a youngster, as the way Azmat is doing for our cricket, Ibrahim Zadran, Gurbaz, Darvish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, every country needs players like this. But luckily, our talent is not limited by our facilities, and we are the best team in terms of talent due to players like Azmat,” he added.
On a pitch that had early morning moisture, but not much outright assistance for the bowlers, the UAE got into rebuilding mode thanks to an 84-run partnership between Alishan Sharafu and Sohaib Khan, with the latter's 48-ball 68 putting them on course for a winning total until Omarzai had his say.
In the 15th over, which wasn't quite part of the death overs phase, but it was a time when Afghanistan needed to claw back into the match. Omarzai's impact came when he squared up to Syed Haider as he backed away and then kissed the top of the off stump.
He then bowled a full one that Harshit Kaushik had to swish at and edged behind, but the real turning point was in the 19th over, when he dismissed Sohaib with a bumper and got him out for 68, which denied the UAE a good finishing flourish, as seen from their final five overs being 46/4.
“That's a huge area at the moment. Certainly, here in a small field like Delhi, it's quite tough and the outfield is quick. So, you've got to get it right. Azmat's boldness was crucial. There were areas where we bowled earlier on that we were nowhere near up to standard with the newer ball. But at the end, you could see when you get it right, and you bowl to your plan, it's actually quite tough, certainly on these wickets.
“The thing for me is that Ahmedabad is very different from Delhi. It can't just be one thing or one trick. You've got to be able to have those variations, and Azmat was able to do that today, and that's what turned the game. If they'd gone on and scored an extra 10 runs in the last two overs, it would have been a very different game.
“So, that's what I said to the guys at drinks break after 14 overs – that we got to limit them here and make the job easier for ourselves in the second innings because chasing on this outfield and this pitch certainly is going to be tricky. Yes, it's quick, but the pitch is starting to wear a little bit after use. We got a few things right, and I'm happy about that,” said head coach Jonathan Trott while replying to a query from IANS in the post-game press conference.
In all, three of Omarzai’s four scalps came via the hard lengths, as his spell ensured Afghanistan had their best performance with the ball in the back-end, especially after that gut-wrenching loss to South Africa.
“In terms of professional players like Azmat, sometimes you have good days and bad days. But the atmosphere of the team, the management, and the coaching staff backed us up well. No doubt, the head coach was saying the same thing – he talks when in losses.
“But after that, he just said, I am very happy with you today, and the effort you put in was unbelievable. We kept losing, but it was the coach's words that gave us more positive energy. But Azmat, no doubt on him, because this is the sign of big players. The way they fall, they do know how to get up.”
“The style and type of bowler he is – out-swing, in-swing, and with a new ball, he has bowled this length more than in the starting. When we talk about the captain or the team management, we talk about it's his job, and he has always delivered.
“Today, in these conditions, which were totally suitable for batting and the way he came back in the second spell, I saw all of it because I was standing at a point where he beat the batters. But I think he is one of the toughest bowlers because it's not easy to play him on the nets. He is a special talent,” elaborated Naib.
His effectiveness in different phases of the innings spoke to his evolution as a fast bowler. Trott later raved about the work Omarzai had to put in to refine his death bowling skills. “We've seen his development over the last year, certainly while I've been here. From a very young player now known around the world, obviously ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year, and that doesn't happen by accident.
“So, a very good and very important player for us. His development with the national side has been huge, but also aided by playing in a few franchise leagues around the world. Certainly, this format has aided his development and sped that up. But I think he's going to be a very, very good cricketer for quite a while.
“I know he's thought of very highly around the world about other players and coaches. That's exciting, and he's a great player to have, and I enjoy coaching him. He's a real good character, likes to learn, and all three facets of the game are very good,” he said.
But his contribution in the run-chase spoke not merely of his skills as a world-class all-rounder, but also of the bounce-back ability that has been forged over years of competitive cricket. A six over long-off evaporated the pressure when Afghanistan needed 28 runs off 18 balls, and then another six over extra cover, an even better shot, pulled them out of troubled waters.
With 17 to get off eight balls, Omarzai dug a Muhammad Jawadullah ball to the boundary over cover. Though Afghanistan’s chances of coming into the Super Eights are as slim as a thread, Omarzai’s credentials as a world-class all-rounder were highlighted yet again.
