The T20 World Cup 2026 showcases his abilities on cricket’s biggest stage. He recently smashed 84 runs off just 42 balls against South Africa. That knock reminded everyone why franchises value him so highly globally.

Kolkata Knight Riders invested in his talent for three IPL seasons. But the 2026 auction brought surprising news for his fans. Let’s explore what makes Rahmanullah Gurbaz such an exciting cricketer overall.

About Rahmanullah Gurbaz

International Stats

Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been absolutely smashing it for Afghanistan in white-ball cricket. Over 1,800 ODI runs came from just 52 matches he’s played. His T20I numbers look even crazier with 2,200+ runs from 87+ games!

Six ODI hundreds already sit next to his name at this young age.

Remember the 2023 World Cup? Gurbaz turned heads everywhere with those explosive knocks. His T20I strike rate proves he attacks from ball one always.

Format	Matches	runs	High Score	average	Strike Rate
ODI	52	1,888	151	37.02	87.25
T20I	87	2,284	100	26.25	135.79
test	2	97	46	24.25	56.73

IPL 2026 Stats

Here’s the shocker – Rahmanullah Gurbaz isn’t playing IPL 2026.

KKR let him go after last season ended weirdly. Nobody grabbed him at the auction despite what he could do.

Missing this season means Gurbaz focuses completely on the 2027 World Cup right now. Afghanistan gets its star opener fresh and ready every match. His 2026 stats section stays blank unfortunately, which seems like a missed opportunity.

IPL Stats Overall

KKR paid Rs 2 crore for Rahmanullah Gurbaz back in 2025. He suited up for 19 matches across three years with them. Those appearances brought 363 runs with a couple of fifties mixed in.

Matches	runs	HS	average	Strike Rate	50s	Sixes	fours	catches
19	363	81 (vs gt)	21.35	134.94	2	22	34	17

His best IPL knock was 81 runs in that season.

Striking at 134.94 shows he never stopped attacking bowlers really. The average of 21.35 could’ve been better but he played his natural game.

Gurbaz smacked 34 boundaries and launched 22 sixes during his IPL career. As keeper, he pouched 17 catches cleanly behind the stumps. KKR wanted that aggressive opening spark initially but things didn’t work out long-term.