Marton has moved swiftly to replace outgoing Sri Lankan, Tharindu Rathnayake, with the signing of Afghanistan domestic star Zohaib Zamankhail for their 2024 NYSD campaign.
Zamankhail (listed as Zohaib Ahmadzai on Cricinfo / Cricket Archive) is a spin bowling sensation coming through the Afghan ranks.
From Baghlan, a City in Northern Afghanistan, Zamankhail made his professional debut for Amo Region in the Ahmad Shah Abdali 4-Day Tournament in September 2016, aged only 14.
He had previously dominated for Baghlan in the Alokozay Provincial Under-16 and 17, tournaments, and would go on to represent Afghanistan at the ICC Under-19 World Cup in South Africa (early 2020).
However, it’s at first-class level where the left-arm spinner has made his mark. To date, in 25 matches, he has taken 126 wickets at 20.23 including 8 five-wicket bags, 3 ten-wicket match hauls, and best figures of 9-37.
Over the past 3 full first-class campaigns, he has been the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, bagging 46 wickets at 14.63 (2019), 32 wickets at 16.93 (2021/22), and 18 wickets at 19.16 (2022/23).
It came as no surprise that Zamankhail was picked up to play for Liverpool in 2022 where he starred taking 75 wickets at 13.96.
The left-arm tweaker is a sensational prospect who is now set to return to Northern shores having signed with Marton for their 2024 North Yorkshire and South Durham Premier League campaign.
