Afghan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai has quietly become one of the Indian Premier League’s most reliable new-ball enforcers, and his two-season journey from Gujarat Titans in 2024 to Punjab Kings in 2025 underlines a rapid ascent. Across 15 bowling innings he has snapped 12 wickets, never taking fewer than one in any spell and twice striking twice in an over. Those scalps have come from 48 overs—exactly 288 balls—at an impressive strike-rate of 24.00, while the economy sits at 9.69 despite bowling mostly inside the powerplay and at the death. The numbers tell the story of a bowler trusted to attack: zero three-fors or five-fors yet, but every spell carries threat. With the bat Omarzai is still emerging—99 runs in 74 balls, eight fours and five sixes, and a highest of 21—but the 133 strike-rate shows intent whenever Punjab need late-order impetus. After two short campaigns he already owns the rare combination of consistent wicket-taking and boundary-clearing muscle, making Azmatullah Omarzai a name IPL fans will search for as the 2025 playoffs loom.

Ajinkya Rahane IPL journey spans 17 seasons, 183 innings and a mountain of 5,032 runs that have come off 4,025 balls at a brisk strike-rate of 125. The Mumbai-born right-hander has punished bowlers for 514 fours and 123 sixes, crossing fifty 33 times and reaching three figures on two memorable occasions, the highest being an unbeaten 105. After stints with Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Rising Pune Supergiant, Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings, he is back with Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2025. While Rahane has rolled his arm over only once in the league, picking up a solitary wicket in a six-ball cameo that cost five runs, he remains celebrated as one of the league’s most technically sound and consistent top-order batsmen.

Note: This overview is partially generated using AI and is based on statistical data. Please verify with official sources for complete accuracy.