Muttiah Muralitharan writes extensively about Rashid Khan. Similar to the legendary player from Sri Lanka, the Afghan leg-spinner is an excellent wicket-taker and match-winner who confuses hitters with his talent and variety. Though Rashid is more skilled with the willow and has produced multiple game-winning runs, particularly in T20 cricket, he is still an equally excellent fielder who is quick to the ball and plays the most crazily unconventional strokes. Most significantly, he plays cricket with a ready smile on his face, demonstrating how much he enjoys the intensity of a match and that he doesn’t just see cricket as a job like so many others do.
Rashid, though, does not have the backing of his batting group, unlike Murali. Murali shared the pitch with some of the greatest batters of all time, including Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Aravinda de Silva, and Sanath Jayasuriya. There isn’t a single Afghan batsman that comes close to that level, which gives his ability to take wickets and the pressure he feels every time he is given the ball a whole new meaning.
In every international format, Rashid has produced outstanding results: 34 wickets at a strike rate of 45.1 in five Test matches, 172 wickets in 95 ODIs, and 130 wickets in 82 T20Is. His strike rates are all numerically much higher than Murali’s, even though the latter played in 350 ODIs and 133 Tests. Afghanistan will once again turn their attention on Rashid as they aim to leave a lasting impression in just their third 50-over World Cup.
In their 16 prior World Cup matches, Afghanistan had only one victory, that being against Scotland in Dunedin in 2015 by one wicket. Although Rashid had not yet made his debut—that would happen eight months later—he quickly established himself as the team’s most feared bowler after donning the national jersey for the first time. He was a seasoned wicket-taker with a strong sense of occasion and an obvious love for drama.
Despite his remarkable ODI statistics, it is important to note that 47 matches against Zimbabwe and Ireland combined account for 102 of his wickets. Moreover, neither of those two teams is participating in this World Cup.
In fact, Rashid has played against very few of the stronger teams; Afghanistan and India have only faced each other in three One-Day Internationals. He has played South Africa, England, Australia, and New Zealand just once apiece, and India and New Zealand twice each. As a result, he hasn’t had a lot of experience in the 50-over game having to work for his wickets against more seasoned opponents. In their approach to Rashid, batters have adopted a cautious, if cautious, demeanor, and they have concentrated on the other bowlers, who are certainly not as good as the leggie. In T20 cricket, it’s far simpler for a top player like Rashid to take wickets when opponents are forced to attack him rather than when there is a bit less pressure to score runs at will, as is the case in the 50-over format.
When facing some of the best hitters of this century over the next six weeks, Rashid’s task will be to adjust his bowling to take wickets. Knowing that they would mostly avoid taking chances and play percentage cricket, he needs to be creative and adaptable if Afghanistan is to stay competitive. It’s easy to forget that the young guy is only 25 years old, so this is a new task for him, but one he will meet with his trademark boldness, beginning with Wednesday’s match against India in the nation’s capital Arun Jaitley Stadium.
His captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, is certain that Rashid will be able to perform well. Since Rashid is the finest bowler in ODIs and T20s, we don’t give a damn about what the opposition does, including how they choose to play Rashid. What matters to us is how he has prepared to counter the opposition. He can bowl for any team, according to Shahidi. “He possesses the quality, and on his best day, he can overcome any obstacle. We’re hoping he performs well in the game tomorrow.
While Mujeeb ur Rehman, Noor Ahmad, and former captain Mohammad Nabi are all extremely talented players, Rashid is the center of attention for Afghanistan’s spin attack. He is the undisputed head of the group and a former skipper himself. He sets the tone. There’s no better day than Wednesday to reinforce that maxim.
