Punjab Kings all-rounder named ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024

Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai has been rewarded by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for his fine form in the 50-over format in 2024. The 24-year-old was named the ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024 on Monday, January 27, for scoring 417 runs and taking 17 wickets in 14 matches last year.

Omarzai developed into an integral member of Afghanistan's white-ball setup, particularly after a prolific 2023 ODI World Cup campaign in India. He made the most of the momentum to kickstart 2024 with a brilliant unbeaten 149 in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. Three more fifties with the bat ensured a prolific year in the middle-order.

With the ball, Omarzai made a strong start with figures of 3-56 in the second ODI against Sri Lanka in February. He recorded consecutive four-wicket hauls in November and December during the bilateral affairs against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe to cap off a memorable year.

His consistent exploits in international cricket resulted in him being the second-highest run-scorer for Afghanistan and the second-highest wicket-taker in 2024. His all-round exploits have made him a vital presence in the side, and he will be in the spotlight as the nation gears up for the Champions Trophy for the first time.

Omarzai was one of the three Afghanistan players recently named in the ICC ODI Team of the Year 2024. The other two were Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Allah Ghazanfar.

Punjab Kings signed ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year Azmatullah Omarzai for INR 2.4 crore

Omarzai's eventful 2024 also included his maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The all-rounder played for the Gujarat Titans (GT) and had a huge role to fill following Hardik Pandya's departure. He was a constant feature with the new ball and in the middle order for the team.

He was released in the off-season, with the three-year IPL cycle coming to an end. In reasonable demand during the auction, his services sparked a small bidding war between the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Punjab Kings (PBKS), with the latter prevailing in the end. They picked him for INR 2.4 crore.