Rashid Khan: Profile, Stats, Iconic Performances

Rashid Khan perhaps has claims to the best cricketing teenager of his times. At eighteen, he not just matured to become an indispensable ration for the Afghanistan cricket team but also flaunted an elusive contract from the cash-rich Indian Premier League, a market that prides itself on being agonizingly indifferent to the concepts of sentimentalism.

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Early Life and education

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• Full Name: Rashid Khan Arman

• Date of Birth: 1998

• Birthplace: Nangarhar, Eastern Afghanistan

• Family Background:

  • Hails from Jalalabad
  • Includes ten siblings
  • Owned a tire business in Nangarhar until the Afghan war

• Childhood and Early Life:

  • Family fled the Afghan war and lived in Pakistan for a few years
  • Grew up playing cricket with his brothers
  • Initially more proficient as a batsman but later excelled in leg-spin bowling

• Education:

  • Attended Islamia College Peshawar
  • Studied computer science until 2013
  • Gained admission due to his sports skills

• Cricket Career:

  • Came to prominence in 2014 during matches in Peshawar when the Afghanistan cricket team visited Pakistan

• Personal Life:

  • Married on October 3, 2024, in Kabul
  • Shared the special occasion with three brothers, who also got married on the same day

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Cricketing Journey

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1. Early Inspiration

   • Grew up playing cricket with his brothers.
   • Idolized Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi, adopting his leg-spin bowling style.
   • Admired South African batsman AB de Villiers for his batting prowess.

2. Transition from Batsman to Bowler

   • Initially more proficient as a batsman.
   • Later developed exceptional skills in leg-spin bowling, becoming a prominent bowler.

3. Notable Early Performances

   • Gained attention in 2014 while playing in matches in Peshawar during an Afghan cricket team visit to Pakistan.

4. Playing Style and Skills

   • Known for his quick-arm action and ability to bowl accurate leg-spin deliveries.
   • Exceptional variations, including googlies, which make him difficult to read for batsmen.

5. Rise to Prominence

   • Established himself as one of the leading cricketers for Afghanistan.
   • Played key roles in both international and domestic leagues around the world.

6. Major Achievements

   • Instrumental in Afghanistan's rise as a competitive cricketing nation.
   • Consistently among the top-ranked bowlers in international cricket.

7. Global Recognition

   • Featured in various global T20 leagues, including IPL, BBL, and PSL.
   • Acknowledged as one of the best bowlers in the modern era of cricket.

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Early International Career and Milestones

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• ODI Debut: Rashid Khan made his One Day International (ODI) debut for Afghanistan against Zimbabwe on 18 October 2015.
• T20I Debut: He made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut, also against Zimbabwe, on 26 October 2015.

Key Achievements

• Maiden T20I Five-Wicket Haul:

  • On 10 March 2017, Khan took his maiden T20I five-wicket haul against Ireland.
  • His figures of 5 wickets for 3 runs are the best by an Afghan cricketer in a T20I and the joint fourth-best figures in all T20Is.
  • Rashid Khan became the first player to take a five-wicket haul in two overs in a T20I match.
  • Afghanistan won the match, and Rashid shared the Man of the Match award with Najeeb Tarakai.

• ODI Six-Wicket Record:

  • During the ODI series against Ireland, Rashid Khan and Paul Stirling became the first pair of bowlers from different teams to each take six wickets in the same ODI.

• Second ODI Five-Wicket Haul:

  • On 9 June, Rashid Khan took his second ODI five-wicket haul, finishing with 7 wickets for 18 runs against the West Indies at Gros Islet.
  • This was the fourth-best ODI bowling figures and the first by an associate nation cricketer to take 7 wickets.
  • Afghanistan defended a total of 212 runs and won the match by 63 runs, with Rashid Khan being named Man of the Match.

• International Cricket Council (ICC) Recognition:

  • In January 2018, the ICC named Rashid Khan as the Associate Cricketer of the Year.
  • In February 2018, he was named one of the ten players to watch ahead of the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

• Captaincy Role:

  • In February 2018, he was appointed as the stand-in captain of Afghanistan for the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament while regular captain Asghar Stanikzai recovered from an appendix surgery.

• Rest of the World XI Selection:

  • In April 2018, Rashid was named in the Rest of the World XI squad for the one-off T20I against the West Indies at Lord's on 31 May 2018.

• Hat-Trick Against Ireland:

  • In February 2019, during the third T20I match against Ireland, Rashid Khan took a hat-trick and also took four wickets in four balls.

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Test Career and Milestones

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• Afghanistan's Inaugural Test Match:

  • Date: May 2018
  • Rashid Khan was named in Afghanistan's squad for their inaugural Test match against India.

• Test Debut:

  • Date: 14 June 2018
  • Rashid made his Test debut for Afghanistan against India.

• Record for Most Runs Conceded on Test Debut:

  • In his Test debut, Rashid Khan conceded 154 runs in the first innings.
  • He became the first bowler to concede more than 150 runs in their inaugural Test appearance for any country.
  • Rashid's figures of 2 for 154 in the first innings were the highest number of runs conceded by a bowler in a country’s inaugural Test match.
  • This beat the previous record held by Amir Elahi, who conceded 134 runs during Pakistan's debut Test against India in 1952.

• Record with Wafadar:

  • Rashid Khan and Wafadar set a new record as the first pair of teenagers to concede more than 100 runs each in a nation’s inaugural Test match.

• Afghanistan vs. Ireland (2019):

  • Date: February 2019
  • Rashid Khan was named in Afghanistan's Test squad for their one-off Test match against Ireland in India.

• First Five-Wicket Haul in Test:

  • In the second innings, Rashid took 5 wickets for 82 runs.
  • He became the first Afghan bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a Test match.

2019 Cricket World Cup

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• Cricket World Cup Squad:

  • Date: April 2019
  • Rashid Khan was named in Afghanistan's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

• ICC Recognition:

  • The International Cricket Council (ICC) named him as one of the five exciting talents making their Cricket World Cup debut.

• 100th International Match:

  • Date: 1 June 2019
  • In Afghanistan's opening match against Australia, Rashid Khan played in his 100th international cricket match.
  • This included a game with a World XI side in the Hurricane Relief T20 Challenge in May 2018.

• 100th International Match for Afghanistan:

  • Date: 4 June 2019
  • Three days later, against Sri Lanka, Rashid played his 100th international match for Afghanistan.

• Most Expensive Spell in World Cup:

  • Date: 18 June 2019
  • In the match against England, Rashid Khan bowled the most expensive spell in a Cricket World Cup match, conceding 110 runs from his nine overs.

Domestic and T20 Franchise Career

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Rashid Khan has made a name for himself in various domestic T20 leagues around the world. He debuted in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2017 with Sunrisers Hyderabad and became one of the top bowlers in the competition. He also played in the Big Bash League (BBL) with Adelaide Strikers, where he helped his team win the 2018 title. Rashid has represented several teams in other leagues like the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), and the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Known for his consistent performances, he has earned Player of the Tournament awards in multiple leagues. His skills in T20 cricket have made him a sought-after player in global franchise competitions.

Indian Premier League (IPL)

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• Bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad:

  • Date: February 2017
  • Rashid Khan was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹4 crore (A$720,000) for the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL).
  • He was one of the first two Afghan players ever selected for the IPL.

• IPL Debut:

  • Date: 2017
  • Made his IPL debut in the opening fixture of the 2017 season.
  • Took two wickets as Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 35 runs.

• 2017 IPL Performance:

  • Finished the tournament as the sixth-highest wicket-taker with 17 wickets from 14 matches.

• 100th Twenty20 Match:

  • Date: 5 May 2018
  • Played his 100th T20 match during the 2018 IPL.
  • Took two wickets, affected a run out, and was named Man of the Match.

• Vice-Captain of Gujarat Titans:

  • Date: March 2022
  • Rashid Khan played as the vice-captain for the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022.

• Hat-Trick in IPL:

  • Date: 9 April 2023
  • Took a hat-trick against Kolkata Knight Riders with figures of 3 for 37.
  • Became the fourth player to take a hat-trick in IPL history.

• 2024 IPL Career:

  • Rashid Khan continued to be a key player for Gujarat Titans in the 2024 IPL season.
  • He played an instrumental role in the team's bowling attack, further solidifying his reputation as one of the best T20 bowlers in the world.
  • Known for his consistency, Rashid contributed both with the ball and in leadership roles during the tournament.

Caribbean Premier League (CPL)

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• 2017 CPL Season:

  • Rashid Khan was bought by Guyana Amazon Warriors for $60,000 in 2017.
  • Took a hat-trick for Guyana Amazon Warriors, the first hat-trick in CPL history, in September 2017.

• 2020 CPL Season:

  • Named in the Barbados Tridents squad for the 2020 Caribbean Premier League.
  • Milestone Achievement:
    • On 20 August 2020, took his 300th wicket in T20 cricket during a match against St Lucia Zouks.
    • Became the youngest bowler to take 300 T20 wickets at the age of 21 years and 335 days.
    • Achieved the milestone as the fastest bowler to reach 300 wickets, doing so in 213 matches.

Big Bash League (BBL)

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• 2017–18 Season:

  • Signed with the Adelaide Strikers in September 2017 to play in the 2017–18 Big Bash League.
  • Played a key role in helping the Adelaide Strikers win the tournament.

• BBL|09 (2019–20 Season):

  • On 8 January 2020, during a match against the Sydney Sixers, took the fifth hat-trick in BBL history.

• 2021–22 Season:

  • On 12 January 2022, during the 2021–22 Big Bash League, Khan played in his 300th T20 match.
  • Achieved career-best figures of 6 wickets for 17 runs in the game.
  • His performance was the third-best bowling figures in the history of the BBL.

• Fan Favorite:

  • Known for his consistent performances, Rashid has become a fan favorite in Adelaide.

Batting Stats

Bowling Stats

Fielding Stats

Afghanistan Premier League (APL)

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• In September 2018, Represented Kabul Zwanan as their Icon Player in the inaugural edition of the Afghanistan Premier League.
• Played a pivotal role in leading Kabul Zwanan to the finals of the tournament.
• Delivered consistent performances with both bat and ball throughout the tournament.
• Awarded the Player of the Tournament for his exceptional all-around performance.
• Known for his match-winning contributions, including economical bowling and crucial wickets.

Pakistan Super League (PSL)

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• 2018: Represented Quetta Gladiators, contributing with crucial spells as a bowler.
• 2019: Continued in the Platinum Category, though did not participate in matches.
• 2021: Played for Lahore Qalandars, delivering standout performances, including his first match against Peshawar Zalmi.
• 2022: Was retained by Lahore Qalandars but missed the season due to international commitments.
• 2023: Returned to the PSL, showcasing his all-around abilities.
• 2024: Played a key role in the season, excelling as a match-winner in high-pressure games.

Rashid Khan's Performance in Afghanistan's Tour of Zimbabwe (2024/25)

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First Test: Harare Sports Club

• Rashid Khan did not play in this match due to rest and rotation policy or minor fitness concerns.

Second Test: Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo

• Batting:

  • First innings: Scored 25 runs in Afghanistan's total of 157.
  • Second innings: Yet to bat (match ongoing).

• Bowling:

  • First innings: Bowled 3 overs, conceded 4 runs, and went wicketless.
  • Second innings: Yet to bowl (match ongoing).

Conclusion

Rashid Khan has proven to be one of the most influential and consistent players for Afghanistan in both domestic and international cricket. His rise from a young leg-spinner to a global T20 superstar is a testament to his skill, work ethic, and adaptability. Whether it’s his match-winning performances in the IPL, Big Bash League, or for Afghanistan in international cricket, Rashid has demonstrated his ability to turn games in his team's favor with his pinpoint leg-spin and strategic acumen.

Despite a few quiet patches, like in the recent Test series against Zimbabwe, his presence on the field remains formidable. His contributions are not just limited to his wicket-taking abilities but also his leadership and consistency across various formats. As Afghanistan's premier spinner, Rashid Khan continues to inspire the next generation of cricketers and is pivotal to the country's cricketing ambitions on the global stage.