Azmatullah Omarzai made history after walking in at 5/4, broke the T20I world record

Afghanistan Azmatullah Omarzai (PTI Photo) Azmatullah Omarzai produced a stunning rescue with the bat, smashing a record century to help Afghanistan recover from a disastrous start to 221/7 against Zimbabwe in the second T20I at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday.Entering Afghanistan reeling at 5/4, Omarzai launched a counter-attack that completely changed the course of the innings. He blasted 116 off just 50 balls, hitting five fours and 12 sixes in a stunning 232.The effort saw Omarzai register the highest individual score for a batsman ranked No.6 or lower in a T20I involving full nations. He surpassed the previous record of 89 scored by former Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi against Ireland in 2017.The record knock also moved Omarzai on the list ahead of Sam Billings (87 against West Indies in 2019), Cameron White (85 not out against Sri Lanka in 2010) and David Miller (85 not out against Pakistan in 2021).Afghanistan’s innings was in complete disarray after the Zimbabwe bowlers reduced them to 5/4. Several top-order wickets departed cheaply while Sediqullah Atal managed just 17 off 21 deliveries before falling to ninth.Omarzai found an ideal partner in Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai and the duo began a remarkable recovery. They added 142 runs for the sixth wicket, off just 59 balls, with Ijaz contributing a whopping 52 off 27 deliveries, including five fours and three sixes.The partnership was eventually broken when Ijaz fell with a score of 180. Omarzai continued his onslaught before being dismissed in the 19th over having already produced one of the best saves in Afghanistan’s T20I history.Captain Rashid Khan provided a spectacular finish as he smashed an unbeaten 25 off just six balls, including four sixes. Mujeeb Ur Rahman was not out for two as Afghanistan closed their innings at 221/7 at 11.05 runs per over.Rashid also achieved a major milestone during the match, becoming the first bowler to take 200 wickets in T20Is.Still, Zimbabwe lags behind Sikandar RazacenturyZimbabwe failed to clear the formidable target despite a determined effort from captain Sikandar Raza, who scored his second T20I century.Raza battled to the end but the visitors ultimately fell short and Afghanistan’s early batting collapse turned out to be a distant memory after Omarzai’s extraordinary strike.Tafadzwa Tsiga offered valuable support on his debut, while Ryan Burle’s dismissal dealt another blow to Zimbabwe’s hopes.The win also extended Afghanistan’s remarkable dominance of the competition and marked their eighth T20I series win against Zimbabwe. The visitors are yet to win a T20I series against Afghanistan.