:Rahmat Shah

{{for multi|the founder of the Frontier Post|Rahmat Shah Afridi|the Pashto poet|Rahmat Shah Sail}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Rahmat Shah

| image = Rahmat Shah.jpg

| caption = Shah in 2021

| country = Afghanistan

| fullname = Rahmat Shah Zurmatai

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|7|6|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Zurmat, Paktia, Afghanistan

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm leg break

| role = All-rounder

| international = true

| internationalspan = 2013–present

| testdebutdate = 14 June

| testdebutyear = 2018

| testdebutagainst = India

| testcap = 8

| lasttestdate = 2 January

| lasttestyear = 2025

| lasttestagainst = Zimbabwe

| odidebutdate = 6 March

| odidebutyear = 2013

| odidebutagainst = Scotland

| odicap = 29

| lastodidate = 21 December

| lastodiyear = 2024

| lastodiagainst = Zimbabwe

| odishirt = 8

| oneT20I = true

| T20Idebutdate = 11 January

| T20Idebutyear = 2024

| T20Idebutagainst = India

| T20Icap = 54

| lastT20Idate =

| lastT20Iyear =

| lastT20Iagainst =

| club1 = Afghan Cheetahs

| year1 = 2013

| club2 = Mohammedan Sporting Club

| year2 = {{nowrap|2013/14–2014/15}}

| club3 = Mis Ainak Region

| year3 = 2017

| columns = 4

| column1 = Test

| matches1 = 10

| runs1 = 812

| bat avg1 = 42.73

| 100s/50s1 = 2/5

| top score1 = 234

| deliveries1 = 84

| wickets1 = 1

| bowl avg1 = 53.00

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 1/34

| catches/stumpings1 = 8/–

| column2 = ODI

| matches2 = 120

| runs2 = 3,869

| bat avg2 = 35.17

| 100s/50s2 = 5/30

| top score2 = 114

| deliveries2 = 543

| wickets2 = 15

| bowl avg2 = 35.46

| fivefor2 = 1

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 5/32

| catches/stumpings2 = 27/–

| column3 = FC

| matches3 = 29

| runs3 = 1,829

| bat avg3 = 42.53

| 100s/50s3 = 4/11

| top score3 = 234

| deliveries3 = 950

| wickets3 = 17

| bowl avg3 = 29.29

| fivefor3 = 0

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 3/30

| catches/stumpings3 = 19/–

| column4 = LA

| matches4 = 184

| runs4 = 6,143

| bat avg4 = 37.68

| 100s/50s4 = 10/43

| top score4 = 114

| deliveries4 = 1,836

| wickets4 = 60

| bowl avg4 = 28.60

| fivefor4 = 2

| tenfor4 = 0

| best bowling4 = 5/32

| catches/stumpings4 = 47/–

| date = 2 January

| year = 2025

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/afghanistan/content/player/533956.html ESPNcricinfo

}}

Rahmat Shah Zurmatai ({{langx|ps|رحمت شاه زرمتی}}; born 6 July 1993) is an Afghan cricketer who plays for the Afghanistan national cricket team. He is a right-handed batsman and an occasional leg break bowler.[http://www.espncricinfo.com/afghanistan/content/player/533956.html Rahmat Shah] ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 February 2013 He made his international debut in an ODI against Scotland in March 2013.{{Cite web|title=Rahmat Shah profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/rahmat-shah-533956|access-date=2021-07-28|website=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}} He was one of the eleven cricketers to play in Afghanistan's first ever Test match, against India, in June 2018. In September 2019, in the one-off Test between Afghanistan and Bangladesh, Rahmat scored Afghanistan's first century in Test cricket.{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/bangladesh-vs-afghanistan-test-rahmat-shah-first-afghan-century-1595885-2019-09-05 |title=Rahmat Shah becomes 1st Afghanistan cricketer to hit Test hundred |work=India Today |access-date=5 September 2019}}

Domestic career

Rahmat was named in a number of first-class and One-Day International squads for Afghanistan. He has played List A cricket for Afghanistan against Pakistan A and other domestic teams in Pakistan, such as Faisalabad and Rawalpindi.[http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/603398.html Faisalabad and Rawalpindi vs Afghanistan Scorecard] Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 February 2013[http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/603402.html Pakistan A vs Afghanistan Scorecard] Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 February 2013 He made his Twenty20 debut for Band-e-Amir Dragons in the 2017 Shpageeza Cricket League on 12 September 2017.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1120170.html |title=3rd Match, Shpageeza Cricket League at Kabul, Sep 12 2017 |access-date=12 September 2017 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}

In July 2018, Rahmat was the leading run-scorer for Mis Ainak Region in the 2018 Ghazi Amanullah Khan Regional One Day Tournament, with 258 runs in five matches.{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=12475;team=5463;type=tournament |title=2018 Ghazi Amanullah Khan Regional One Day Tournament, Mis Ainak Region: Batting and Bowling Averages |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=26 July 2018}} He was also the leading wicket-taker for the team in the tournament, with eight dismissals in five matches.

International career

Rahmat made his One Day International (ODI) debut for Afghanistan against Scotland on 6 March 2013.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/533956.html |title=Rahmat Shah |access-date=28 November 2014 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} On 4 July 2016, he made his first century in an ODI during Afghanistan's tour of Scotland.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1003271.html |title=Afghanistan tour of Scotland, Ireland and Netherlands, 1st ODI: Scotland v Afghanistan at Edinburgh, Jul 4, 2016 |access-date=4 July 2016 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/scotland/content/story/1032325.html |title=Rain spoils Rahmat's ton, Najib's blitz |work=ESPN Cricinfo|access-date=4 July 2016}}

In May 2018, Rahmat was named in Afghanistan's squad for their inaugural Test match, played against India.{{cite web|url=http://www.cricket.af/acb-news-info/559 |title= Afghanistan Squads for T20I Bangladesh Series and on-eoff India Test Announced |work=Afghanistan Cricket Board |access-date=29 May 2018}}{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/1148128.html |title=Afghanistan pick four spinners for inaugural Test |access-date=29 May 2018 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} He made his Test debut for Afghanistan, against India, on 14 June 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1133983.html |title=Only Test, Afghanistan tour of India at Bengaluru, Jun 14-18 2018 |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=14 June 2018}} In February 2019, he was named in Afghanistan's Test squad for their one-off match against Ireland in India.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/25943168/mujeeb-left-ireland-test-shahzad-t20is |title=Mujeeb left out for Ireland Test, Shahzad out of T20Is |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=7 February 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1048994 |title=No Mujeeb in Tests as Afghanistan announce squads for Ireland series |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=7 February 2019}}

In April 2019, Rahmat was named in Afghanistan's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/1181690.html |title=Hamid Hassan picked in Afghanistan's World Cup squad; Naib to captain |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=22 April 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1194077 |title=Asghar Afghan included in Gulbadin Naib-led World Cup squad |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=22 April 2019}} He finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer for Afghanistan, with 254 runs in nine matches.{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=12357;team=40;type=tournament |title=ICC Cricket World Cup, 2019 - Afghanistan: Batting and bowling averages |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=4 July 2019}}

In April 2019, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) named Shah as the team's new Test captain, replacing Asghar Afghan.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1169014 |title=Asghar Afghan removed as Afghanistan announce split captaincy |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=5 April 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/26445623/rahmat-rashid-given-leadership-roles-afghanistan-revamp |title=Rahmat, Rashid given leadership roles in Afghanistan revamp |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=5 April 2019}} However, following the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Rashid Khan was named as the new captain of the Afghanistan cricket team across all three formats.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27174179/rashid-captain-afghanistan-formats-asghar-appointed-deputy |title=Rashid to captain Afghanistan across formats, Asghar appointed his deputy |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=12 July 2019}} Therefore, Rahmat was replaced before captaining the team in a Test match.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1277951 |title=Rashid Khan named Afghanistan captain across formats |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=12 July 2019}}

In September 2019, Rahmat scored a century in the one-off Test match against Bangladesh, becoming the first batsman for Afghanistan to score a century in a Test match.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cricket/article/afg-vs-ban-one-off-test-rahmat-shah-becomes-first-afghanistan-batsman-to-score-a-test-hundred/483105 |title=Rahmat Shah becomes first Afghanistan batsman to score Test hundred |work=Times Now News |access-date=5 September 2019}}

In January 2024, Shah was named in Afghanistan's Twenty20 International (T20I) squads for their series against India.{{cite web |url= https://cricket.af/post/acb-name-squad-for-the-ttwenty-inaternational-series-against-india |title=ACB Name Squad for the T20I Series against India|work=Afghanistan Cricket Board|access-date=11 January 2024}} On 11 January 2024, He made his T20I debut for Afghanistan against India.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/afghanistan-in-india-2023-24-1389384/india-vs-afghanistan-1st-t20i-1389396/full-scorecard|title=1st T20I (N), Mohali, January 11, 2024, Afghanistan tour of India|work=ESPN Cricinfo|access-date=11 January 2024}}

In December 2024, he made his maiden Test match double century in the first of a two-match series against Zimbabwe.{{cite web|url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/rahmat-shah-record-highest-score-afghanistan-batter-test-cricket-stats-zim-vs-afg/article69037300.ece. |title=ZIM vs AFG: Rahmat Shah registers highest individual score by Afghanistan batter in Test history |work=Sportstar |accessdate=28 December 2024}} His 234 was also the highest score by an Afghan batter in a Test match that point,{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/cricket-2024-zimbabwe-vs-afghanistan-test-match-rahmat-shah-record-score-hashmatullah-shahidi-century-record-partnership-bulawayo-queens-sports-club-match-report-latest-news/news-story/701ff4467327bcc6cd1ac1cf6b528cce|title=Records tumble in Zimbabwe as Afghan duo create history amid 1011-run feast|publisher=Fox Sports|accessdate=29 December 2024}}{{cite web |title=Highest Test score for each country, full list: Rahmat Shah sets new Afghanistan record |url=https://www.wisden.com/series/zimbabwe-vs-afghanistan-m-2024-25/cricket-news/highest-test-score-for-each-country-full-list-rahmat-shah-sets-new-afghanistan-record |accessdate=6 April 2025 |publisher=Wisden}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/afghanistan-in-zimbabwe-2024-25-1457916/zimbabwe-vs-afghanistan-1st-test-1457926/match-report|title=Shahidi 179* keeps Afghanistan strong on rain-curtailed day|publisher=ESPNCricinfo|accessdate=29 December 2024}} although it was surpassed by teammate Hashmatullah Shahidi who made 246 later in the same match.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/afghanistan-in-zimbabwe-2024-25-1457916/zimbabwe-vs-afghanistan-1st-test-1457926/match-report|title=Zimbabwe secure draw in high-scoring Test on rain-hit day|publisher=ESPNCricinfo|accessdate=31 December 2024}}

T20 franchise career

In September 2018, Rahmat was named in Nangarhar's squad in the first edition of the Afghanistan Premier League tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.crictracker.com/afghanistan-premier-league-2018-all-you-need-to-know-from-the-player-draft/ |title=Afghanistan Premier League 2018 – All you need to know from the player draft |work=CricTracker |access-date=10 September 2018}}