Gurbaz And...? 3 Batters Who Will Be Crucial For Afghanistan In Champions Trophy 2025
Rahmanullah Gurbaz for Afghanistan. (Source - ACB/X.COM)
The much anticipated ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is just a couple of weeks away with all the teams ready to go for glory and get their hands on the title. The premier eight-team tournament is taking place for the first time since 2017 after an eight year hiatus.
Pakistan, who emerged champions in the last edition in England and Wales, are the host this time along with Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, which will host team India matches. The tournament is scheduled to start from February 19 and the final will be played on March 9.
Notably, one of the biggest stories of the upcoming edition of Champions Trophy is the arrival of team Afghanistan, who are set for their maiden appearance in the competition. After becoming a full member back in 2017, the Afghan Atalan qualified for Champions Trophy for the first time after finishing in the top eight of the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.
Afghanistan’s incredible rise in international cricket has been mind-blowing. They cannot be taken lightly as they have done extremely well in their last two ICC events, especially in the last year's T20 World Cup in the West Indies where the Rashid Khan led side stunned everyone by going through to the Semi-final.
Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead Afghanistan 15-member squad in their historic first Champions Trophy tournament. Their bowling unit has always been their strength with the likes of Rashid Khan and Fazalhaq Farooqi spearheading the attack but let's take a look at the 3 Key Batters who can turn the tournament on their head and help Afghanistan get their hands on their maiden ICC title.
3. Ibrahim Zadran
Ibrahim Zadran for Afghanistan. (Source - ACB/X.COM)
Ibrahim Zadran’s return from injury is one of the biggest positive news for Afghanistan cricket fans ahead of the Champions Trophy. The 23-year-old opener is among Afghanistan’s most consistent performers in recent times.
Ibrahim’s ODI numbers speaks for himself as he has been the best Afghanistan batter in this format in the last three years. He is currently the second highest runscorer for Afghanistan in ODIs since 2022 with nearly 1500 runs at an average of 49.55 which is by far the best in this period.
In addition, the dynamic batter is one of the key reasons behind Afghanistan playing Champions Trophy 2025 as he was the highest runscorer and the only centurion for the Atalans in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.
Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike-rate | 100/50 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ODI | 33 | 1440 | 48.00 | 80.44 | 5/7 |
ODIs in Pakistan | 2 | 82 | 41.00 | 93.18 | 0/1 |
2023 ODI World Cup | 9 | 376 | 47.00 | 76.26 | 1/1 |
2. Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Rahmanullah Gurbaz for Afghanistan. (Source - ACB/X.COM)
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the wicket-keeper batter will once again start the tournament as one of the key players for Afghanistan. The explosive opener has been Afghanistan's most successful white ball batter in recent times, be it in ODIs or T20Is, Gurbaz is one of the first names on the team sheet.
There is no one who has scored more runs and centuries in ODIs for Afghanistan since Gurbaz’s debut in January 2021 than Gurbaz himself. His golden run with the bat (highest runscorer in the tournament) in the T20 World Cup in 2024 was one of the reasons Afghanistan made history in the tournament by qualifying to the knockouts for the first time.
Gurbaz alongside Ibrahim Zadran will be an interesting duo to watch out at the top of the order and let's see how far Gurbaz can take Afghanistan in their maiden Champions Trophy appearance.
Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike-rate | 100/50 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ODIs | 46 | 1769 | 39.31 | 88.49 | 8/6 |
ODIs in Pakistan | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 33.8 | 0/0 |
2023 ODI World Cup | 9 | 280 | 31.11 | 98.93 | 0/2 |
1. Azmatullah Omarzai
Azmatullah Omarzai for Afghanistan. (Source- ACB/X.COM)
Azmatullah Omarzai’s rise in ODI cricket has been immense and we have just got started. Yes, the fast bowling all-rounder and the 2024 ICC ODI Cricketer Of The Year is going to be surprise weapon and a deciding factor for Afghanistan in the upcoming Champions Trophy.
There is no doubt in Omarzai's ability with the ball that has helped Afghanistan strengthen their fast bowling unit in recent times, but it's his batting which is really starting to shine now. Previously, he was known as someone who can make some quick runs coming down the order but the 62-run innings against India in the 2023 World Cup, followed by an all timer 115-ball 149-run innings versus Sri Lanka last year turned people’s perspective towards him as a batter.
Omarzai’s ODI batting average has finished above 50 in the last two years and 2025 is when the 24-year-old is expected to go another level up as far as his batting is concerned. Afghanistan’s top four has never been a problem in recent times but Omarzai's role in the later half of the middle order might play a big role in Afghanistan's campaign here.
Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike-rate | 100/50 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ODI | 36 | 907 | 47.73 | 97.21 | 1/7 |
2023 ODI World Cup | 9 | 353 | 70.60 | 97.78 | 0/3 |