Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai created history on Tuesday, September 9, in Abu Dhabi by recording the fastest half-century in T20 Asia Cup history during a clash against Hong Kong. The right-hander reached his fifty in just 20 balls, surpassing the previous record of 22 deliveries held jointly by Suryakumar Yadav and his teammate Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
This milestone also made Omarzai the quickest Afghan batter to score a T20I fifty, breaking Mohammad Nabi’s 21-ball effort against Ireland in 2017. Significantly, it was also Omarzai’s maiden T20I fifty. Representing Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2025, he went on to score a blazing 53 off 21 balls at a strike rate of 252.38, hitting five sixes and two fours.
The 25-year-old showcased his power-hitting by smashing 22 runs in an over from Ayush Shukla, including three consecutive sixes, before being dismissed by the same bowler in the penultimate over. His aggressive knock also featured a crucial 82-run stand with opener Sediqullah Atal for the fifth wicket, further cementing his reputation as a rising T20 star.
Fastest fifty in T20I Asia Cup
- 20 balls – Azmatullah Omarzai v HK, TODAY
- 22 balls – Suryakumar Yadav v HK, 2022
- 22 balls – Rahmanullah Gurbaz v SL, 2022
Afghanistan score 188 against Hong Kong as Atal and Omarzai hit fifties
Afghanistan posted a competitive 188/6 in their 20 overs against Hong Kong in the Asia Cup 2025 opener, thanks to strong batting efforts from Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai. Atal anchored the innings with an unbeaten 73 off 52 balls featuring six fours and three sixes, while Omarzai provided fireworks with a quickfire knock.
Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi added valuable runs, scoring 33 from 26 deliveries. For Hong Kong, Ayush Shukla and Kinchit Shah were the standout bowlers, claiming two wickets each. In response, Hong Kong struggled to build momentum and slumped to 93/8 in 19 overs at the time of reporting.
The tournament continues with defending champions India facing hosts UAE in Dubai on Wednesday, September 10.
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