Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Afghanistan had long searched for a dependable top order, and Gurbaz has helped supply it alongside Ibrahim Zadran, a partner since their junior cricket. In 2021 he made history by becoming the first Afghanistan batter to score a century on his ODI debut. Although he first drew attention for clearing the ropes, he has since developed patience, which has helped him survive testing periods against the new ball. He is also sharp when running between the wickets and reliable behind the stumps.

His ODI output continued with two hundreds in 2022 and two more in 2023. At the 2023 World Cup he made important contributions as Afghanistan beat both England and Pakistan, and that same year he reached three figures in a T20I for the first time. At the 2024 T20 World Cup he finished as the top run-scorer of the event, playing a major part in carrying Afghanistan to the semifinal.

Gurbaz holds the record for the most ODI hundreds by an Afghanistan player. Beyond international duty, he has enjoyed success on the franchise circuit, featuring in a range of T20 leagues across the world.