The cracking of willow on leather echoes in the streets and valleys of Paktia, Afghanistan, where a star was born on March 23, 1998. Hazratullah Zazai first crafted his meteoric batting abilities on these rustic pitches, developing the kind of explosive power that leaves crowds ducking and bowlers quaking. Today, Zazai’s awe-inspiring stroke play propels him to stratospheric heights in T20 cricket, shattering long-standing records with surreal ease along the way. At just 25, this audacious phenom cemented his name in cricketing lore by smashing six staggering sixes in one history-making T20 over. Though currently decorated in accolades, intrigue lingers about Zazai’s realm beyond the boundary ropes. As he continues raising his legendary batting to new phenomenal levels, glimpses into the enigmatic Zazai’s personal world off the pitch enthrall the cricket world in equal measure. For now, his blazing bat does the talking - a thunderous statement announcing the arrival of an Afghan prodigy who may just have changed the game forever.
Hazratullah Zazai Batting Stats
Format | M | Inn | NO | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100 | 200 | 50 | 4s | 6s |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ODI | 16 | 16 | 0 | 361 | 67 | 22.56 | 409 | 88.26 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 38 | 17 |
T20I | 38 | 38 | 3 | 1008 | 162 | 28.8 | 756 | 133.33 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 97 | 57 |
Career Information
ODI debut vs Ireland at Civil Service Cricket Club, Aug 27, 2018
Last ODI vs West Indies at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Nov 11, 2019
T20 debut vs United Arab Emirates at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dec 16, 2016
Last T20 vs Bangladesh at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Jul 16, 2023
Biography - Hazratullah Zazai
In the picturesque but challenging landscape of Paktia, Afghanistan, Hazratullah Zazai was born to craft his explosive batting on March 23, 1998. His family recognized his budding talent, providing crucial encouragement to nurture his audacious cricketing dreams. Honing his distinctive style on dusty Afghan pitches and in street matches, Zazai soon had local tournaments buzzing about his towering sixes and fearless shot-making. While details of his schooling stay discreet, Zazai completed his high school education, laying the foundations for his cricketing ascent. His competitive debut came in Afghanistan’s 2017 Ghazi Amanullah Khan Regional One Day Tournament before he plunged into first-class cricket that October in the Ahmad Shah Abdali 4-day Tournament. But it was on the Twenty20 stage that Zazai immediately thrived. In September 2018, he etched his name in T20 folklore by belting six sixes in one astonishing over and equaling the fastest T20 fifty in just twelve balls. recognition followed, as the leading run-scorer for Kabul Zwanan in the Afghanistan Premier League. With his audacious batting rewriting T20 records, Hazratullah Zazai’s legend was born.
Career From First Debut to IPL
Zazai’s competitive journey began when he stormed into Afghanistan’s 2017 Ghazi Amanullah Khan Regional One Day Tournament for the Amo Region. By October 2017, he was unleashed into first-class cricket in the Ahmad Shah Abdali 4-day Tournament, representing Band-e-Amir Region. But T20 cricket proved the perfect platform for Zazai’s explosive batting style. In September 2018, he etched his name in T20 folklore by smashing six staggering sixes in one over while playing for Kabul Zwanan in the Afghanistan Premier League. In a blistering 12-ball knock, he equaled the fastest ever T20 fifty. Zazai emerged as the tournament’s leading run-getter, blasting 322 runs overall.
Recognition for his audacious stroke-play came calling, as he was snapped up by Bangladesh Premier League teams Dhaka Dynamites in 2018 and Rajshahi Royals in 2019. In 2020, his fireworks attracted the Galle Gladiators in the inaugural Lanka Premier League. On the international stage, Zazai’s aggressive batting has shattered records for Afghanistan. He cracked the fastest ever T20I half-century by an Afghan off just 22 balls against Ireland in August 2018. But his magnum opus arrived in February 2019, when his seismic 162 not out against Ireland included a record 16 sixes and propelled Afghanistan to a blazing 278/3 - the highest ever T20I total.
IPL Career and Price
Hazratullah Zazai’s explosive batting style has attracted attention in T20 leagues worldwide, including a brief stint in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL). Though his participation in the IPL has been limited, he entered the 2022 auction with a base price of 50 lakh INR. Across 10 IPL matches, Zazai has blasted 256 runs from 227 deliveries, with a top score of 18 and strike rate of 112.78. While his IPL highlight reel may be thin so far, his six-hitting prowess is undeniable.
Zazai’s cricketing odyssey has seen him captivate fans with aggressive batting for teams like Kabul Zwanan, Dhaka Dynamites, Maratha Arabians and Rajshahi Royals before arriving on the IPL stage. Though the boundaries of Chinnaswamy Stadium and Eden Gardens have only witnessed glimpses of his power, Zazai’s batting fireworks continue illuminating T20 leagues worldwide. His versatility and talent assure more memorable performances across formats are still to come. For now, the IPL waits patiently for him to truly announce his arrival.
Personal life
Outside the spotlight, mystery cloaks the personal realm of Afghan batting sensation Hazratullah Zazai. His origins lie in the picturesque yet arduous terrain of Paktia, specifically the town of Jaji, where he was born on March 23, 1998. Though now residing in Kabul, the mountains and valleys of Paktia remain imprinted on Zazai’s heart and the origins of his cricketing journey. Beyond demolishing bowling attacks, Zazai de-stresses with his trusty guitar or travels to unwind, revealing diverse passions away from cricket’s boundary ropes. Details of his family stay discreet, though brother Ibrahim Hashimi provides familial support. No wife or girlfriend occupies his private affairs yet either, as Zazai maintains intrigue off-field for now. While his explosive batting grips the cricketing world, Zazai’s life beyond the limelight remains in the shadows. But as his star continues to rapidly rise, the prodigious phenom’s future promises more enthralling glimpses into his realm away from raucous crowds and flying cricket balls. For now, the enigmatic Zazai keeps his personal affairs secluded as anticipation builds.
Conclusion
At just 25 years old, Hazratullah Zazai has already etched his name in the cricket history books with his explosive batting. His sensational six-hitting abilities have smashed records and altered the course of T20 matches in the blink of an eye. Yet beyond the flurry of boundaries and deafening roars of crowds lies a more enigmatic side to the young Afghan phenom. Details of his family life and interests away from cricket remain shrouded, with only glimpses revealed of his origins in Paktia and passion for guitar and travel. As Zazai continues blazing new trails on the pitch, the cricket world eagerly anticipates more insights into his realm off the field as well. Regardless of what comes next in his promising career, Hazratullah Zazai has made an indelible mark as an Afghan trailblazer capable of setting the cricket stage alight when given a bat in hand. The surreal power of his shots ensures his legend will live on vividly.