Hazratullah Zazai

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Hazratullah Zazai

| image =

| country = Afghanistan

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|3|23|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Paktia, Afghanistan

| death_date =

| death_place =

| batting = Left-handed

| bowling = Slow left-arm orthodox

| role = Opening batter

| international = true

| internationalspan = 2016–present

| odidebutdate = 27 August

| odidebutyear = 2018

| odidebutagainst = Ireland

| odicap = 44

| lastodidate = 11 November

| lastodiyear = 2019

| lastodiagainst = West Indies

| odishirt = 3

| T20Idebutdate = 16 December

| T20Idebutyear = 2016

| T20Idebutagainst = United Arab Emirates

| T20Icap = 35

| lastT20Idate = 11 December

| lastT20Iyear = 2024

| lastT20Iagainst = Zimbabwe

| T20Ishirt = 3

| club1 = Amo Sharks

| year1 = 2017–present

| club2 = Kabul Zwanan

| year2 = 2018–present

| club3 = Dhaka Dynamites

| year3 = 2019

| club4 = Rajshahi Royals

| year4 = 2019–20

| club5 = Galle Gladiators

| year5 = 2020

| club6 = Peshawar Zalmi

| year6 = 2021

| columns = 4

| column1 = ODI

| matches1 = 16

| runs1 = 361

| bat avg1 = 22.56

| 100s/50s1 = 0/2

| top score1 = 67

| deliveries1 = –

| wickets1 = –

| bowl avg1 = –

| fivefor1 = –

| tenfor1 = –

| best bowling1 = –

| catches/stumpings1 = 3/–

| column2 = T20I

| matches2 = 33

| runs2 = 960

| bat avg2 = 32.00

| 100s/50s2 = 1/3

| top score2 = 162*

| deliveries2 = –

| wickets2 = –

| bowl avg2 = –

| fivefor2 = –

| tenfor2 = –

| best bowling2 = –

| catches/stumpings2 = 5/–

| column3 = FC

| matches3 = 17

| runs3 = 1,246

| bat avg3 = 38.93

| 100s/50s3 = 3/8

| top score3 = 133

| deliveries3 = 82

| wickets3 = 3

| bowl avg3 = 22.66

| fivefor3 = 0

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 1/10

| catches/stumpings3 = 22/–

| column4 = LA

| matches4 = 32

| runs4 = 739

| bat avg4 = 23.83

| 100s/50s4 = 1/3

| top score4 = 103*

| deliveries4 = –

| wickets4 = –

| bowl avg4 = –

| fivefor4 = –

| tenfor4 = –

| best bowling4 = –

| catches/stumpings4 = 10/–

| date = 18 February 2023

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/793457.html Cricinfo

}}

Hazratullah Zazai ({{langx|ps|حضرت الله ځاځی}}; born 23 March 1998) is an Afghan cricketer. He made his international debut for the Afghanistan cricket team in December 2016.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/793457.html |title=Hazratullah Zazai |access-date=16 December 2016 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} In February 2019, he scored an unbeaten 162 runs off 62 balls against Ireland, which is the highest individual score by an Afghan batsman in a Twenty20 International.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/26061147/hazratullah-zazai-162*-afghanistan-278-record-breaking-t20i |title=Hazratullah Zazai 162*, Afghanistan 278 - a record-breaking T20I |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=23 February 2019}}

Domestic and T20 franchise career

He made his List A debut for Amo Region in the 2017 Ghazi Amanullah Khan Regional One Day Tournament on 10 August 2017.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1115760.html |title=2nd Match, Ghazi Amanullah Khan Regional One Day Tournament at Khost, Aug 10, 2017 |access-date=10 August 2017 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} He made his first-class debut for Band-e-Amir Region in the 2017–18 Ahmad Shah Abdali 4-day Tournament on 20 October 2017.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1124056.html |title=1st Match, Alokozay Ahmad Shah Abdali 4-day Tournament at Amanullah, Oct 20-23 2017 |access-date=20 October 2017 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}

In September 2018, he was named in Kabul Zwanan'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}} On 14 October 2018, in the match against Balkh Legends, Zazai hit six sixes in one over.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/18936/report/1160582/balkh-legends-vs-kabul-zwanan-14th-match-apl |title=Hazratullah Zazai smashes six sixes in an over in front of 'idol' Gayle |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=14 October 2018}} In the process, Zazai also equalled the record for the fastest fifty in Twenty20 cricket, from twelve balls.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/878428 |title=Hazratullah Zazai becomes third to hit six sixes in an over in T20s |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=15 October 2018}} He was the leading run-scorer for Kabul Zwanan in the tournament, with 322 runs in ten matches.{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=12657;team=6570;type=tournament |title=Afghanistan Premier League, 2018/19 - Kabul Zwanan: Batting and bowling averages |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=22 October 2018}}

In October 2018, he was named in the squad for the Dhaka Dynamites team, following the draft for the 2018–19 Bangladesh Premier League.{{cite web|url=http://www.tigercricket.com.bd/2018/10/29/full-players-list-of-the-teams-following-players-draft-of-bpl-t20-2018-19/ |title=Full players list of the teams following Players Draft of BPL T20 2018-19 |work=Bangladesh Cricket Board |access-date=29 October 2018}} In November 2019, he was selected to play for the Rajshahi Royals in the 2019–20 Bangladesh Premier League.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/28105555/tamim-iqbal-team-coach-mohammad-salahuddin-dhaka |title=BPL draft: Tamim Iqbal to team up with coach Mohammad Salahuddin for Dhaka |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=18 November 2019}} In October 2020, he was drafted by the Galle Gladiators for the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/30148161/lanka-premier-league-2020-chris-gayle-andre-russell-shahid-afridi-big-names-taken-lpl-draft |title=Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Shahid Afridi among big names taken at LPL draft |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=22 October 2020}}

International career

He made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut against the United Arab Emirates on 16 December 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1072207.html |title=Afghanistan tour of United Arab Emirates, 2nd T20I: United Arab Emirates v Afghanistan at Dubai (DSC), Dec 16, 2016 |access-date=16 December 2016 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} He made his One Day International (ODI) debut against Ireland on 27 August 2018.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1150146.html |title=1st ODI, Afghanistan Tour of Ireland at Belfast, Aug 27 2018 |access-date=27 August 2018 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}

In August 2018, against Ireland, he scored the fastest T20I fifty by an Afghan cricketer, in 22 balls.{{cite web |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/827557 |title=Zazai’s 33-ball 74 sets up Afghanistan victory over Ireland |access-date=20 August 2018 |work=International Cricket Council}} In February 2019, in the second T20I match against Ireland, he scored 162 not out,{{cite web|url=https://www.cricketcountry.com/news/afghanistan-vs-ireland-2019-2nd-t20i-hazratullah-zazai-cuts-loose-afghanistan-demolish-ireland-t20i-record-books-806588 |title=Hazratullah Zazai cuts loose, Afghanistan demolish Ireland, T20I record books |work=Cricket Country |access-date=23 February 2019}} his first century in a T20I match.{{cite web|url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/106830/afghanistan-vs-ireland-2nd-t20i-2019-dehradun-cricket-hazratullah-zazais-night-to-remember-usman-ghani-rashid-khan |title=Hazratullah Zazai's night to remember |work=CricBuzz |access-date=23 February 2019}} It was the highest score for an Afghan batsman in a T20I match, and the second highest score overall, behind Aaron Finch's 172. His innings included a record 16 sixes, and his first-wicket partnership with Usman Ghani was also a record for any wicket in a T20I, with 236 runs scored. Afghanistan finished their innings with 278 runs for the loss of three wickets, the highest total in a T20I match.

In April 2019, he 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}} In September 2021, he was named in Afghanistan's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/118972/rashid-khan-steps-down-as-afghanistan-captain-over-team-selection |title=Rashid Khan steps down as Afghanistan captain over team selection|work=Cricbuzz |access-date=9 September 2021}}

In May 2024, he was named as a reserve player in Afghanistan’s squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament.{{Cite web |title=Afghanistan’s squad for the ICC Men’s T20I World Cup |url=https://www.scorewaves.com/news-details/afghanistan-squad-icc-mens-t20i-world-cup-2024 |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=ScoreWaves |language=en}}