Afghanistan has been the strongest amongst the emerging teams in world cricket in the last decade. In fact, their progress and performance have been so consistent that they considered a force to reckon with in global events. Hazratullah Zazai is one of the Afghanistan players who has the world’s attention due to his performance. He is the sixth batter in competitive cricket, and third in T20s, to hit six sixes to join an elite club that has Yuvraj Singh and Garry Sobers, among others. Zazai has also equalled Yuvraj and Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest fifty in T20 format off 12 balls.
However, his teammate Karim Janat, shared a sad news related to him on Instagram on Friday. Hazratullah Zazai has played 16 ODIs and 45 T20Is for Afghanistan.
“I am deeply saddened to share with you all that my close friend like brother, Hazratullah Zazai, has lost his daughter. My heart aches with sorrow for him and his family during this incredibly difficult time. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate through this tragic loss. My deepest condolences go out to Hazratullah Zazai and his family,” Karim Janat wrote on his Instagram profile.
In 2018, Hazratullah Zazai hogged the limelight by becoming the first Afghanistan batsman to hit six sixes in an over. Zazai scored a quickfire 62 runs off just 14 balls for Kabul Zwanan against Balkh Legends in the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) 2018 on Sunday. In doing so, he also became the joint fastest half-centurion in T20s with Yuvraj Singh, both of whom reached the landmark off only 12 balls. The Afghanistan Premier League praised his performance on their official Facebook account along with a video of him achieving the astonishing feat.
Zazai joined the august company of Sir Garfield Sobers, Ravi Shastri, Herschelle Gibbs and Yuvraj Singh to hit six sixes in an over in any form of cricket.
Zazai’s knock emulated Yuvraj’s effort against England at Durban in 2007 during the inaugural ICC World Twenty20. Back then, Yuvraj smashed six sixes off a Stuart Broad over to move to a 12-ball half-century.
However, Zazai’s brilliant cameo failed to get his team over the line. Chris Gayle smashed 80 off 48 balls to help Balkh Legends achieve a mammoth total of 244 for six in 20 overs.
Despite Zazai’s fireworks, the Kabul Zwanan could only muster 223 for seven in the chase. The Balkh Legends innings featured 23 sixes – 10 of them coming off Gayle’s bat.
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