'When I bowl, I'm a proper bowler; when I bat, I'm a proper batter' - Afghanistan youngster's epic response to journalist's query

Published - 10 Sept 2025, 19:10 IST | Updated - 10 Sept 2025, 19:22 IST

Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai recently came up with a witty response on being asked about his role in the national setup. Notably, Omarzai contributed with both bat and ball in Afghanistan's 94-run win against Hong Kong on Tuesday, September 9 and was awarded the Player of the Match.

Omarzai remarked that while bowling, he saw himself as a frontline bowler, while batting, he saw himself as the main batter. He also shared the conversation he had with opening batter Sediqullah Atal, who stood unbeaten on 73 off 52 at the end of the innings.

"I think I am both. When I get bowling, I feel I am a proper bowler; when I bat, I feel I am a proper batter. It is 50-50. [It is] very tough batting in the lower order, [it is] all about belief. The captain and coach have belief in me, [I] was trying to back myself and was trying to hit straight with the ball coming on nice. We lost early wickets, so I was just speaking to Sediqullah that we will bat till the 16th and then look for boundaries. We were looking to hit straight and were looking for our favourite balls," Omarzai was quoted by Cricbuzz.

Omarzai's 21-ball 53-run knock comprised two fours and five sixes. His explosive 82-run stand for the fifth wicket with Atal was the primary reason behind Afghanistan ending up with 188/6 on the board at the end of 20 overs. Omarzai recorded the fastest fifty scored for Afghanistan, reaching the mark in 20 balls.

Gurbaz hits six, but Shukla strikes back for Hong Kong

He registered phenomenal figures with the ball as well, bowling nine dot balls in his two-over spell. Omarzai picked up the wicket of wicketkeeper-batter Zeeshan Ali (5 off 6) as the Rashid Khan-led unit ended up defeating Hong Kong by a whopping 94 runs in Abu Dhabi.