A fast-scoring batter for the middle order
Mohammad Akram Zazai did not play in the first APL season. He was not in any of the five squads for the inaugural edition in Sharjah in October 2018 — he was 18 at the time — so the 2026-27 season is his APL debut, eight years after the league was first played. Nangarhar Cosmic picked him third in the Gold round at the player draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026, for a reported $40,000.
The T20 numbers say he scores quickly. His highest T20 score is 103 against Amo Sharks at Khost in 2026, and he has 1,221 T20 runs in 46 matches at a strike rate of 149.08 — the kind of tempo that suits a middle order built to chase or to push a total past 180. He is a right-hand batter who bowls right-arm medium, born in Paktia on 29 March 2000, and he is also listed as Wasim Zazai on some scorecards.
His international start came in 2026 too: 34 on T20I debut against Japan at Nisshin. For Cosmic, Zazai is local depth with genuine hitting power — the sort of batter who can turn a par score into a winning one in the last five overs, and the sort of player a Gold pick is meant to find.
APL 2026-27 in numbers
The season has not started, so Mohammad Akram Zazai has no APL 2026-27 runs, wickets or matches yet. His first numbers in this league will come after Nangarhar Cosmic’s opening match — the season’s first ball is on Sunday 27 December 2026. Until then, the table below is his career at a glance.
| Detail | Mohammad Akram Zazai |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 March 2000, Paktia, Afghanistan |
| Role | Batter |
| Batting | Right-hand bat |
| Bowling | Right-arm medium |
| Draft category | Gold — reported $40,000 |
| APL history | APL debut in 2026-27; not in any 2018 squad |
Career facts are from the player’s verified profile record. No APL 2026-27 figures exist yet — the season starts on 27 December 2026.
Where Nangarhar stand
Nangarhar Cosmic’s batting runs deep: Hales and Rahmat at the top, Rasooli and Kamindu Mendis behind them, and then Zazai and Ikram Alikhil in the middle order. Toby Radford coaches the side, Mark Boucher mentors it, and the local core is what will decide the tight games.
Cosmic play eight league matches, two against each of the other four teams, with four playoff places on offer. The APL T20 season opens on Sunday 27 December 2026 at 5:30 PM Afghanistan time, and the final is on Wednesday 20 January 2027. Zazai’s strike rate of 149.08 is one of the quickest in the squad.
Frequently asked questions
What is Mohammad Akram Zazai’s role for Nangarhar Cosmic?
He is a batter — a right-hand middle-order hitter taken as Cosmic’s third Gold pick at the Dubai draft.
What is Mohammad Akram Zazai’s T20 record?
1,221 T20 runs in 46 matches at a strike rate of 149.08, with a highest score of 103 against Amo Sharks at Khost in 2026.
Has Mohammad Akram Zazai played in the APL before?
No. He was 18 and in none of the five squads in 2018, so APL 2026-27 is his debut in the league.
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