I checked Azmatullah Omarzai stats IPL 2026 last night. The numbers surprised me. Punjab Kings kept him for ₹2.40 crore. Same as last year. Many fans called it a waste. Then May 13 happened.
He smashed 38 off 17 balls against Mumbai Indians. Four sixes. Two fours. Strike rate 223. I rewatched the highlights twice. This guy is dangerous. But only in patches. Let me show you what I found.
His IPL 2026 Team and Price
Punjab Kings. That is his team.
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They retained him before the auction. No bidding war this time. Straight ₹2.40 crore. Here is his price history:
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2024 – Gujarat Titans, ₹50 lakh
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2025 – Punjab Kings, ₹2.40 crore
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2026 – Punjab Kings, ₹2.40 crore
Chennai wanted him in 2025. I remember reading the reports. But PBKS grabbed him first.
Is ₹2.40 crore too much? Let us see the stats first.
Azmatullah Omarzai Stats IPL 2026 (Updated May 2026)
I pulled these from match scorecards. No guesses. Only facts.
Batting Numbers
| Matches |
Runs |
Highest |
Average |
Strike Rate |
| 11 |
124 |
38* |
24.80 |
167.56 |
He crossed 30 only once. That one time? He won the match momentum.
Bowling Numbers
| Matches |
Overs |
Wickets |
Best |
Economy |
| 11 |
34.2 |
9 |
2/36 |
9.85 |
Expensive. No hiding that. 9.85 economy hurts.
But here is the thing. Every medium pacer is getting hit this season. Pitches are flat. Boundaries are short.
Azmatullah Omarzai Highest Score in IPL: 38 of 17 vs MI
Let me tell you what happened on May 13, 2026.
PBKS was drowning. Seven wickets down for 140 runs. Shardul Thakur was on fire. The innings looked dead.
Omarzai walked in.
First ball? He swung hard. Missed. Second ball? Six. Third ball? Four. He didn't care.
The 18th over changed everything. Deepak Chahar was bowling. Omarzai hit him for two sixes and a four. 19 runs from one over. The crowd in Dharamshala lost their minds.
He scored 38 off 17. Four sixes. Two fours.
PBKS went from 140 to 200 in the last three overs.
That is his highest score in IPL. Previous best was 21 in 2025. This was different. This was a statement.
His captain Shreyas Iyer said after the match: Azmat changed the game when we were only looking at 170-180.
I believe it.
Azmatullah Omarzai 149 Scorecard: The ODI That Changed Everything
You want to know why IPL teams keep buying him?
Look at Azmatullah Omarzai 149 scorecard.
ODI against Sri Lanka. 2024. He scored 149 not out. 115 balls. 13 fours. 6 sixes. Afghanistan scored 313 and won easily.
That innings made everyone notice.
Then came the Champions Trophy 2025. England. He took 5 wickets for 58 runs. Five. Against England.
A guy who can score 149 in ODIs and take 5 wickets against England? IPL teams will pay. They will wait. They will give him time.
That is why PBKS kept him for ₹2.40 crore.
Azmatullah Omarzai: What Happened in His First Two IPL Seasons?
Honest question. His first two seasons were bad.
IPL 2024 (Gujarat Titans):
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7 matches
-
42 runs
-
Highest score 17
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4 wickets
-
Economy 8.86
IPL 2025 (Punjab Kings):
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9 matches
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57 runs
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Highest score 21*
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8 wickets
-
Economy 10.33
Fans started asking "Azmatullah Omarzai what happened" on Twitter. I saw those tweets. Some were harsh. Some were fair.
He looked scared against spin. His shot selection was poor. He tried too hard.
But PBKS did not drop him. They kept him for 2026.
That faith is starting to pay off.
The Truth About His Bowling
Let me be direct.
His economy is 9.85 in IPL 2026. That is bad.
But watch him bowl. He bowls 140 kph. He swings the new ball. He takes wickets. His 2/36 against MI proved that.
The problem? He bowls in the middle overs. Batsmen attack him. Flat pitches don't help.
Is he a frontline bowler? No.
Is he a useful fifth bowler? Yes.
If you expect 4 overs for 30 runs, you will be angry. If you expect 1 or 2 wickets and 40 runs, you will be happy.
Where He Fails (Be Honest With Yourself)
I like Omarzai. But I will tell you his weaknesses.
1. Spin bowling destroys him
Watch him face Rashid Khan or Varun Chakravarthy. His feet don't move. He looks lost.
2. One good innings in 17 matches
That 38 off 17 is his only score above 30 in IPL. Seventeen matches. One good knock. That is a real problem.
3. Expensive every match
His economy has never been below 8.86 in IPL. Never. That is four seasons of data.
4. No T20 hundreds
Not one. His 149 was in ODIs. T20 is different. He hasn't spand it out yet.
Where He Wins?
Now the good part.
1. Power against pace
He hits fast bowlers cleanly. Those sixes against Chahar were not flukes. Watch his bat swing. Natural power.
2. International performer
149 vs Sri Lanka. 5/58 vs England. He does it on big stages.
3. Only 26 years old
He will learn. Power hitters get better in their late 20s.
4. Captain trusts him
Shreyas Iyer gives him overs. Gives him batting position. That matters.
Fantasy Cricket Advice (From Someone Who Lost Points)
I picked him as captain once. Bad decision. He scored 11 runs and took 0 wickets.
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Here is my real advice.
Pick him when:
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PBKS bats first on flat pitches (Dharamshala, Chinnaswamy)
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Opposition has weak death bowling (LSG, GT without Rashid)
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You need a differential pick (less than 5% ownership)
Do not pick him when:
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Match is in Chennai or Lucknow (slow pitch)
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Opposition has Rashid, Chahal, or Varun
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PBKS bowls first (he may not bat)
He is a high-risk pick. Not a captain. Maybe a vice-captain in big games. That 38 off 17 can win you a fantasy week. But it happens once every 10 matches.
What I Learned From Watching Every Omarzai IPL Innings?
I went back and watched his 17 IPL innings. Took me three hours.
Here is what I saw.
He takes 5-6 balls to settle. Then he swings. If he connects in the first two balls, he scores big. If he misses, he loses confidence.
His 38* against MI? He missed the first ball. Then hit a six. That is his pattern.
He cannot build a long innings. His highest T20 score is 38. That tells you something. He is a finisher. Not an anchor.
And that is okay. Not everyone needs to bat 20 overs.
Will He Become a Star?
I do not know.
Honestly.
He has the power. He has the international record. He is young.
But 17 IPL matches and only one score above 30? That worries me.
Punjab Kings is betting on him. They paid ₹2.40 crore. They retained him. They give him chances.
Maybe 2026 is his turning point. That 38 off 17 felt different. Felt confident.
Or maybe he remains a player with "potential" forever. IPL has many of those.
I will keep watching. You should too.
Quick Summary for Busy Readers
| Question |
Answer |
| IPL 2026 team |
Punjab Kings |
| IPL 2026 price |
₹2.40 crore (retained) |
| Highest IPL score |
38* off 17 balls (vs MI, May 13 2026) |
| IPL 2026 runs |
124 runs in 11 matches |
| IPL 2026 wickets |
9 wickets in 11 matches |
| Strike rate 2026 |
167.56 |
| Bowling economy 2026 |
9.85 |
| Best international knock |
149* vs Sri Lanka (ODI) |
| Best international bowling |
5/58 vs England (Champions Trophy 2025) |
| Age |
26 |
| Fantasy role |
High-risk differential pick |
Final Word
Do not believe the hype. Do not ignore the talent.
Omarzai is not a superstar. Not yet. But that 38 off 17 was real. That 149 in ODIs was real. Those 5 wickets against England were real. He costs ₹2.40 crore. For a player who bowls 140 kph and hits sixes? That is fair.
Will he win you an IPL match? Maybe once a season. Will he win you 10 matches? No. Watch him for the power. Watch him for the potential. But keep your expectations low.
That is my honest take.
