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.

Hardik Pandya IPL career story: 11 seasons, 2749 runs at a 146 strike-rate, 148 sixes, 10 half-centuries Hardik Pandya has been one of the Indian Premier League’s most explosive batting all-rounders since his 2015 debut with Mumbai Indians. Across 140 innings he has unleashed 2,749 runs off just 1,871 balls, translating to a fearsome strike-rate of 146—the sort of number that turns middle-overs into match-winning passages. He has cleared the ropes 148 times and found the boundary another 207 times, underlining why captains post straight long-on and deep mid-wicket for him from ball one. His highest score of 91 and ten half-centuries show he can both finish innings and anchor them when required. While Pandya’s primary currency is runs, he has also delivered 78 wickets in 107 bowling innings, including one five-for and five three-wicket bursts. Operating at an economy of 9.18 and a strike-rate of 20.87, he often bowls the difficult overs at the death, trusting his cutters and the slower ball. Having represented Mumbai Indians for eight of his eleven campaigns and captained Gujarat Titans to the 2022 title, Pandya’s dual-skill value has made him a marquee name every mega auction.

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