Rahmanullah Gurbaz is an Afghan international wicketkeeper-batter known for his aggressive approach at the top of the batting order. Born on November 28, 2001, he became an important part of Afghanistan’s rise in white-ball cricket, combining attacking stroke play with wicketkeeping duties. His international breakthrough included a remarkable century on ODI debut against Ireland in January 2021, while his performance at the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup helped Afghanistan reach their first semi-final in the tournament. Gurbaz has also played franchise cricket in the Indian Premier League and several other T20 competitions. His career reflects the growing strength of Afghanistan’s batting talent and the value of an opener who can put pressure on opponents from the first overs.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz Quick Facts
| Profile | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Rahmanullah Gurbaz |
| Date of birth | November 28, 2001 |
| Age | 24 years (as of October 9, 2026) |
| Nationality | Afghan |
| Country | Afghanistan |
| Birthplace | Kabul, Afghanistan, as reported in biographical records |
| Playing role | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Batting style | Right-handed |
| Bowling style | Not established here from a sufficiently authoritative current profile |
| International breakthrough | T20I debut in 2019 |
| ODI debut | January 21, 2021, against Ireland |
| IPL teams | Gujarat Titans (squad member in 2022); Kolkata Knight Riders (2023–2025) |
| Notable international achievement | Century on ODI debut |
| Major tournament achievement | Afghanistan’s first men’s T20 World Cup semi-final, in 2024 |
| IPL auction price for 2025 | ₹2 crore |
| IPL auction outcome for 2026 | Listed as unsold in the published auction tracker |
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
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Who Is Rahmanullah Gurbaz?
Rahmanullah Gurbaz is a professional cricketer who represents Afghanistan in international cricket. He is primarily an opening batter and can also keep wicket, giving the team flexibility in its batting and fielding combinations.
Gurbaz is best known for three aspects of his career:
- His century on ODI debut against Ireland in 2021.
- His aggressive opening partnerships for Afghanistan in white-ball cricket.
- His 281 runs at the 2024 T20 World Cup, where he finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer.
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Unlike a batter who builds an innings almost entirely through accumulation, Gurbaz often looks to score boundaries early. That approach can change the tempo of a match quickly, although it also exposes him to the risks associated with attacking the new ball.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s Early Life, Family and Cricket Development
Rahmanullah Gurbaz was born on November 28, 2001. Biographical records identify Kabul, Afghanistan, as his birthplace. His emergence came during a period when Afghanistan was developing a new generation of international players capable of competing against established cricket nations.
His early development is an important part of understanding his career, but detailed public evidence about his childhood, schooling, first coach and early training arrangements is less consistent than the records documenting his senior performances.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s family
Gurbaz’s family background is a frequent subject of biography searches. However, the names and occupations of his father and mother, the identities of any siblings, and detailed claims about family finances or household circumstances should not be stated as facts without reliable supporting evidence.
The surname Gurbaz is associated with an Afghan tribal identity in some biographical accounts. That alone is not sufficient evidence to assign personal religious, ethnic or other sensitive characteristics to the player.
Verified biographical position: his date of birth and Afghan cricketing identity are much better documented than detailed claims about his immediate family.
Education, school and cricket academy
A dependable, independently corroborated school or university history is not established in the sources cited for this article. The same caution applies to claims naming a specific academy or identifying a particular coach as the person responsible for his development.
These details should remain unfilled until a credible interview, official profile or reliable regional report confirms them. They should not be inferred from his birthplace or his subsequent selection for Afghanistan.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s Cricket Journey: From Khost to International Cricket
An important detail in Gurbaz’s personal story emerged in an ESPN feature published in February 2025. Although his birthplace is often listed as Kabul, the feature describes his childhood in Khost, a province in southeastern Afghanistan. These are different biographical details: birthplace and childhood hometown should not automatically be treated as the same thing.
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The feature also explains that Gurbaz’s interest in cricket began after he watched the sport on television. He initially played football for fun, but cricket became the activity he increasingly wanted to pursue. His family placed a strong emphasis on education, creating tension between the sporting ambition he wanted to follow and the future his parents envisaged for their children.
The bat-breaking incident that revealed his determination
According to Gurbaz’s account in the ESPN interview, he once had a secret job and used his earnings to buy a cricket bat. During a family gathering, one of his brothers became angry after Gurbaz went out to play cricket instead of completing a household task. The brother broke his bat.
The story offers a more specific picture of his childhood than the usual generic descriptions of an aspiring young cricketer. It shows how strongly he wanted to play, even when his family did not initially support that priority.
His father, whom Gurbaz described as a school principal, wanted his children to study and pursue professions such as medicine or engineering. This background helps explain the competing expectations he faced while developing as a cricketer.
ESPN
These details are grounded in Gurbaz’s reported interview. They should not be expanded into unsupported claims about the family’s income, exact household arrangements or the identities of individual family members.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s International Career for Afghanistan
Gurbaz’s international career developed rapidly after his T20I debut in 2019. His early ODI success was particularly striking: he scored a century in his very first match in the format, giving Afghanistan an attacking opening option and establishing his name beyond domestic and franchise cricket.
His international career spans all three senior formats. However, his strongest public profile has been in white-ball cricket, where his opening role and wicketkeeping ability have made him especially useful.
T20 International debut and early progress
Gurbaz made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe on September 14, 2019, according to the available player records. He developed into an attacking option at the top of Afghanistan’s batting order as the national side gained experience against leading international teams.
His T20I game is built around the ability to score boundaries during the powerplay. This gives Afghanistan a chance to establish a strong run rate early, particularly when Gurbaz finds his timing against pace bowling.
For detailed career totals and format-specific records, use the relevant player statistics section:
ODI debut: Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 127 against Ireland
Gurbaz announced himself in one-day international cricket on January 21, 2021, at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Opening for Afghanistan against Ireland, he scored 127 from 127 balls, hitting eight fours and nine sixes. Afghanistan won by 16 runs, and Gurbaz received the Player of the Match award.
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ODI debut match snapshot
| Match detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | January 21, 2021 |
| Competition | Ireland tour of the United Arab Emirates |
| Venue | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi |
| Gurbaz’s score | 127 |
| Balls faced | 127 |
| Fours | 8 |
| Sixes | 9 |
| Afghanistan’s total | 287/9 |
| Ireland’s total | 271/9 |
| Result | Afghanistan won by 16 runs |
| Award | Player of the Match |
The innings was significant because it combined patience with attacking intent. Gurbaz reached three figures without sacrificing the opportunity to score quickly, and his nine sixes demonstrated the power he could bring to the opening position.
He and Javed Ahmadi established the innings with a 120-run opening partnership. After Ahmadi fell for 38, Ireland’s bowlers took further wickets, but Gurbaz’s contribution had already given Afghanistan a substantial platform.
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The century on debut became one of the defining early milestones of his career. It also showed that he could make an immediate contribution against senior international opposition rather than needing a long adjustment period.
Test cricket: A different challenge
Gurbaz’s profile is primarily associated with limited-overs cricket. His Test career has been much smaller than his ODI and T20I involvement, and his record should be considered in that context rather than judged by the same expectations as a specialist red-ball batter.
Test cricket demands sustained concentration, a broader response to changing pitch conditions and the ability to manage long periods without scoring boundaries. These requirements differ from the aggressive powerplay role in which Gurbaz has made his name.
The available historical profile records a Test debut against Ireland in February 2024. Readers looking for his latest Test appearances and career figures should consult the current statistics record rather than rely on an older career snapshot.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz at the 2023 Cricket World Cup: The Historic Win Over Pakistan
The 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup provided one of the most memorable demonstrations of Gurbaz’s value as an opener. Afghanistan defeated Pakistan in Chennai on October 23, 2023, securing their first ODI victory over Pakistan. Gurbaz’s aggressive start was central to the successful chase.
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Pakistan had posted 282/7 in 50 overs, with Babar Azam scoring 74 and Abdullah Shafique making 58. Afghanistan needed 283 to win, and Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran responded with an opening partnership that immediately put pressure on the target.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 65 against Pakistan
Gurbaz scored 65 from 53 balls, including nine fours and one six. He and Zadran put on 130 for the first wicket, providing the platform for Afghanistan’s historic victory. Zadran went on to score 87, while Rahmat Shah made an unbeaten 77 and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi finished on 48 not out. Afghanistan reached 286/2 in 49 overs, winning by eight wickets.
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Match snapshot
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | October 23, 2023 |
| Venue | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| Opposition | Pakistan |
| Target | 283 |
| Gurbaz’s score | 65 off 53 balls |
| Opening stand | 130 with Ibrahim Zadran |
| Afghanistan’s result | Won by 8 wickets |
| Historical significance | Afghanistan’s first ODI victory over Pakistan |
The innings mattered beyond the personal score. Afghanistan had often been considered the underdog against Pakistan, and the opening partnership made the target manageable before the middle order completed the chase. Gurbaz’s attack helped shift the pressure to Pakistan’s bowlers and gave the rest of the batting order a strong foundation.
This match also illustrated the value of his partnership with Ibrahim Zadran. Gurbaz’s faster scoring and Zadran’s ability to bat for longer periods gave Afghanistan two complementary opening options. Their partnership helped transform Afghanistan from a team capable of occasional upsets into a side that could execute a major World Cup chase against a leading opponent.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 2024 T20 World Cup: Afghanistan’s Leading Run-Scorer
The 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup was a major career milestone for Gurbaz and for Afghanistan cricket. Afghanistan reached the semi-finals of the men’s tournament for the first time, and Gurbaz finished as the leading run-scorer in the competition. The ICC selected him as the wicketkeeper in its official Team of the Tournament.
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Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s T20 World Cup 2024 stats
| Statistic | Performance |
|---|---|
| Matches | 8 |
| Innings | 8 |
| Runs | 281 |
| Batting average | 35.12 |
| Strike rate | 124.33 |
| Highest score | 80 |
| Fifties | 3 |
| Fours | 18 |
| Sixes | 16 |
These figures are recorded in the ICC’s tournament coverage and statistical summaries.
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Gurbaz’s tournament was notable for its consistency across several matches rather than one isolated innings. He scored 76 against Uganda, 80 against New Zealand, 60 against Australia and 43 against Bangladesh. Those contributions helped Afghanistan progress through the tournament and established him as one of its most important batters.
Partnership with Ibrahim Zadran
The opening partnership between Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran was one of Afghanistan’s major strengths in the competition. The ICC reported that the pair scored 446 runs together, including three century partnerships.
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Their partnership worked because the two batters could put pressure on bowling attacks in different ways. Gurbaz’s boundary-hitting could accelerate the innings, while Zadran’s more measured approach helped preserve wickets and carry the innings deeper.
The partnership was not simply a statistical achievement. It reduced the pressure on Afghanistan’s middle order and helped the team establish competitive totals against opponents with greater experience in global tournaments.
Afghanistan’s semi-final run
Afghanistan’s progress to the semi-finals represented a historic team achievement. Gurbaz’s runs were an important part of that progress, although the tournament also depended on Afghanistan’s bowling attack and contributions from other batters.
The campaign strengthened Gurbaz’s international reputation because he performed consistently while the team advanced further than it had in any previous men’s T20 World Cup. His inclusion in the official Team of the Tournament recognised his contribution at the highest level of the competition.
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Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s IPL Career: Gujarat Titans and Kolkata Knight Riders
Gurbaz’s Indian Premier League career has involved both a title-winning squad role and opportunities with Kolkata Knight Riders. His IPL record is best understood by distinguishing between being part of a franchise squad and actually appearing in matches.
Gujarat Titans in 2022
Gurbaz joined Gujarat Titans as a replacement for Jason Roy before the 2022 season. Gujarat went on to win the IPL title, but Gurbaz did not make a playing appearance for the team during that campaign.
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Being part of a championship squad was a career milestone, but it should not be presented as an individual on-field contribution to the final or as an IPL debut.
Kolkata Knight Riders: IPL debut in 2023
Kolkata Knight Riders brought Gurbaz into their squad for the 2023 season. He made his IPL debut on April 1, 2023, against Punjab Kings, beginning a period in which he competed for opportunities as an opening batter and wicketkeeper.
His role was shaped by competition for overseas-player places and by the team’s available batting combinations. The IPL’s limited overseas-player slots can make regular selection challenging even for an established international cricketer.
Gurbaz also formed part of Kolkata’s title-winning squad in 2024. His opportunities during that season were limited, and the title should be understood as a team achievement rather than evidence that he played every stage of the campaign.
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Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s IPL auction price
| IPL season | Team / status | Reported price |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Gujarat Titans squad; replacement signing | Exact fee not established here |
| 2023 | Kolkata Knight Riders | ₹50 lakh |
| 2024 | Kolkata Knight Riders | ₹50 lakh |
| 2025 | Kolkata Knight Riders | ₹2 crore |
| 2026 | Listed as unsold | No contract recorded in the cited auction tracker |
Cricbuzz’s auction records list Gurbaz at ₹2 crore for IPL 2025 and as unsold at a base price of ₹1.5 crore in the 2026 auction. These are IPL auction figures, not estimates of his total wealth or annual earnings from all cricket.
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The 2026 auction outcome means a new IPL contract should not be assumed from his previous association with Kolkata. Any subsequent signing or replacement agreement would need to be confirmed by a current official announcement.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s Other Franchise Cricket Experience
Franchise cricket has been an important part of Gurbaz’s development because it exposes him to different conditions, team strategies and bowling attacks. His playing history includes competitions outside the IPL, although participation and contract status can change from season to season.
His documented franchise associations include:
- International League T20: he played for the Dubai-based franchise environment during the 2023–24 season, with published statistics recording 146 runs and a highest score of 81.
- Lanka Premier League: his 2024 campaign produced 239 runs in nine matches, with an unbeaten 57 as his highest score.
- Caribbean Premier League: he scored 269 runs in nine matches in the 2024 season, including a highest score of 69.
- Global T20 Canada: he scored 115 runs in six matches in 2024.
- Global Super League: later franchise records associate him with Guyana Amazon Warriors, although individual season participation and match details should be verified against the relevant tournament scorecards before publication.
These figures are season-specific rather than career totals. The historical statistical profile from Windies Cricket records his performances in several of these leagues.
West Indies players
Franchise statistics can help explain why Gurbaz remains relevant in T20 cricket, but they should be read alongside his international performances. A productive league season demonstrates form in that competition; it does not by itself establish his selection status for Afghanistan or a future franchise contract.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s Playing Style and Wicketkeeping Role
Gurbaz is a right-handed opening batter whose principal strength is his ability to attack early in an innings. His approach is especially valuable in limited-overs cricket, where scoring quickly in the powerplay can influence the required run rate for the rest of the match.
Batting strengths
- Powerplay aggression: he looks to score boundaries before fielding restrictions are lifted.
- Six-hitting ability: his nine sixes in the ODI debut innings against Ireland demonstrated that his attacking style translates to the 50-over format.
- T20 impact: his 281 runs at the 2024 T20 World Cup showed that he can make repeated contributions across a major tournament.
- Opening partnerships: his 130-run stand with Ibrahim Zadran against Pakistan in the 2023 World Cup illustrated how his attack can create a platform for the middle order.
His style involves a clear trade-off. Attacking early can put bowlers under pressure and create scoring opportunities, but it can also lead to dismissals when he takes risks against a well-executed delivery. His value should therefore be assessed through both his scoring impact and his consistency.
Wicketkeeping
Gurbaz is also a wicketkeeper-batter. The role gives Afghanistan the option of selecting an attacking opener who can contribute behind the stumps, although the choice of wicketkeeper depends on the squad and team combination for each match.
The ICC’s selection of Gurbaz as the wicketkeeper in its official 2024 T20 World Cup Team of the Tournament recognised his role in the campaign.
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Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s Records and Career Milestones
The most significant verified milestones in Gurbaz’s career are connected to his ODI debut, Afghanistan’s 2023 World Cup victory over Pakistan and the team’s historic 2024 T20 World Cup campaign.
| Milestone | Achievement | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| ODI debut | 127 against Ireland in 2021 | Century on debut; Player of the Match |
| 2023 Cricket World Cup | 65 against Pakistan | Helped set up Afghanistan’s first ODI win over Pakistan |
| 2024 T20 World Cup | 281 runs | Leading run-scorer in the tournament |
| T20 World Cup 2024 | Selected as wicketkeeper in Team of the Tournament | Official recognition of his tournament contribution |
| Opening partnership | 130 with Ibrahim Zadran against Pakistan | Built the platform for a historic chase |
| T20 World Cup opening partnership | 446 runs with Ibrahim Zadran | Included three century stands during the tournament |
Sources: ICC tournament reporting, the official tournament Team of the Tournament announcement and published match scorecards.
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Records should always be tied to their specific competition and date. For example, being the leading run-scorer at the 2024 T20 World Cup is a completed-tournament distinction, not a claim that Gurbaz holds the all-time record for T20 World Cup runs.
Explore Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s career statistics
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Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s Current Status and Career Outlook
As of October 9, 2026, Gurbaz is 24 years old and remains a player whose career is closely associated with Afghanistan’s white-ball batting. His performances in the 2023 Cricket World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup are established milestones, while his franchise opportunities have varied across seasons.
The latest verified IPL auction information available for this article records him as unsold at the 2026 auction. That outcome establishes his auction status, but it does not determine his current Afghanistan selection, his participation in other leagues or whether a later replacement contract was offered.
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His current career position is best assessed through three separate questions:
- International cricket: his most important established contributions remain his ODI breakthrough and T20 World Cup performances.
- Franchise cricket: his IPL contract history shows that previous squad membership does not guarantee a place in a later season.
- Future development: consistency at the top of the order, wicketkeeping contributions and performances against high-quality bowling remain the most useful indicators when assessing his role.
Gurbaz’s career is notable not simply because he scores quickly, but because he has delivered in several matches that changed the significance of Afghanistan’s campaigns. His ODI debut century, his part in the win over Pakistan and his leading-run-scorer performance at the 2024 T20 World Cup provide a clear, evidence-based picture of his importance to the national side.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Rahmanullah Gurbaz
How old is Rahmanullah Gurbaz?
Rahmanullah Gurbaz was born on November 28, 2001. He is 24 years old as of October 9, 2026.
What is Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s nationality?
He is an Afghan cricketer who represents Afghanistan in international cricket.
What is Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s batting style?
He is a right-handed batter who usually opens the innings. He is known for his aggressive approach, particularly in limited-overs cricket.
Who are Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s parents?
ESPN’s 2025 feature reports that his father was a school principal and describes his family’s initial preference for education over a cricketing career. The article does not establish enough information to provide a fully verified list of his parents’ names and occupations.
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Does Rahmanullah Gurbaz have siblings?
His interview account refers to brothers, including one who broke a cricket bat he had bought as a child. The available evidence cited here does not establish a complete list of siblings or their names.
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What was Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s highest score on ODI debut?
He scored 127 from 127 balls against Ireland in Abu Dhabi on January 21, 2021. Afghanistan won by 16 runs, and Gurbaz was named Player of the Match.
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How many runs did Rahmanullah Gurbaz score at the 2024 T20 World Cup?
He scored 281 runs in eight innings, averaging 35.12 at a strike rate of 124.33. He finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer.
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Which IPL team did Rahmanullah Gurbaz play for?
He was part of Gujarat Titans’ squad in 2022 and played for Kolkata Knight Riders from 2023 through 2025. He was listed as unsold at the 2026 IPL auction in the cited auction tracker.
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What was Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s IPL price in 2025?
His reported IPL 2025 auction price was ₹2 crore, according to Cricbuzz’s auction tracker.
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What is Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s net worth?
No dependable, independently verified public net-worth figure is established by the sources used for this article. IPL auction prices and cricket statistics are not sufficient to calculate his personal wealth.
What is Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s height?
A reliable official height measurement has not been established in the sources cited here. Unverified biography-site figures should not be treated as confirmed.
Did Rahmanullah Gurbaz help Afghanistan reach the T20 World Cup semi-final?
Yes. He scored 281 runs in the 2024 tournament, and Afghanistan reached the semi-finals for the first time in the men’s T20 World Cup. His performances earned him a place in the ICC’s official Team of the Tournament.
Conclusion
Rahmanullah Gurbaz has established himself as an exciting wicketkeeper-batter in Afghan cricket. Known for his aggressive batting, powerful hitting, and ability to score quickly, he has become an important player for Afghanistan in international cricket and franchise leagues. His performances in limited-overs cricket have demonstrated his potential to make a significant impact against strong opponents. As he continues to gain experience and improve his consistency, Gurbaz will remain an important part of Afghanistan’s cricketing future. His journey reflects the growth of Afghan cricket and the emergence of talented players on the international stage.