Afghanistan’s explosive wicket-keeper batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz has established himself as a match-winner with standout performances in ODI and T20I formats, including a maiden ODI century on debut.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz is an emerging Afghan cricketer whose lightning reflexes behind the stumps and aggressive left-handed batting have made him a standout performer in global cricket. He has become a vital member of the Afghanistan team in recent years, delivering match-winning performances especially during major ICC events. In 2021, he etched his name in history as the first Afghan batter to smash a century on ODI debut during the series against Ireland. During 2023, he unleashed his highest-ever ODI score of 151 against Pakistan, surpassing MS Dhoni’s 2005 innings of 148 at Visakhapatnam and setting a new benchmark for wicket-keeper batters in ODIs versus Pakistan. His wicket-keeping skills have already cemented the belief that Afghanistan’s cricket future is secure in his capable hands. Born on 28 November 2001 in Afghanistan’s Khost province, Gurbaz showed early academic promise and was encouraged by his father to pursue medicine. However, his passion for cricket ignited after witnessing local admiration for Afghan cricketers visiting his hometown. This moment inspired him to aim for a cricketing career and earn similar respect from fans. Gurbaz practices Islam and belongs to the Sunni sect, and he is also part of the Gurbaz tribe within the Pashtun ethnic community. He hails from a large family with seven brothers and two parents, and as the second-youngest son, he received abundant love and support from his siblings and parents. Among his siblings, his elder brother is Afsar Ali Saadat, and his younger brother is Masood Gurbaz. Rahmanullah Gurbaz has not disclosed his net worth, but his earnings can be estimated from his cricket contracts and sponsorship deals. His central contract with the Afghanistan Cricket Board ranges between $20,000 and $40,000. His international journey began on 14 September 2019 during the Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe T20I match in Mirpur. His ODI debut followed on 21 January 2021 in the game against Ireland in Abu Dhabi. He has also played one Test match so far, which took place on 28 February 2024 against Ireland in Sharjah. In ODIs, he has scored 1,888 runs from 52 matches at an impressive average of 37.01, with his top score being 151. He has recorded 8 centuries, 7 half-centuries, struck 160 fours, and cleared the boundary 67 times in this format. In T20 Internationals, he has amassed 2,166 runs across 84 matches at an average of 25.78, with a personal best of 100. He boasts 1 century and 11 fifties in the shortest format of the game. Gurbaz has been a regular presence in the IPL since 2022 and currently represents the Kolkata Knight Riders. In 19 games, he has scored 363 runs at an average of 21.35, with a highest score of 81. His strike rate stands at 134.94, and he has two fifties, 34 fours, 22 sixes, and taken 17 catches in the tournament. In the ILT20, he has played for four different franchises, accumulating 567 runs from 30 matches at an average of 19.55, with a top score of 81. Gurbaz holds several notable achievements — he was the leading scorer (117 runs) in the ACC U-19 Asia Cup. In 2021, he became the first Afghan batter to score an ODI century on debut (127) and was awarded Player of the Match for his outstanding innings. In 2022, he became the fastest Afghan to reach 1,000 ODI runs (in 19 innings) and the joint-third fastest to five ODI hundreds (also in 19 innings). Rahmanullah Gurbaz is an aggressive Afghan cricketer known for opening the innings and keeping wickets in limited-overs formats. How old is Rahmanullah Gurbaz and when is his birthday? Currently, he is 23 years old, and his birthday falls on 28 November every year. What is Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s height? He stands approximately 5 feet 8 inches (about 1.73 meters) tall. How many centuries has Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored? To date, he has scored a total of 9 centuries — 8 in ODIs and 1 in T20Is. What is Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s net worth and salary? What is Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s jersey number? What are Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s career achievements? All images are used for editorial purposes only. Licensed solely via Getty/Source.