Tag: Rashid Khan

The MI New York team in the Major League Cricket (MLC) have suffered a major blow as their key Afghanistan players, Rashid Khan and Azmatullah Omarzai, are unlikely to participate in the upcoming tournament.

According to a report, Rashid and Azmatullah have opted out of the tournament, citing a break from cricket.

Rashid Khan was pivotal for Mumbai in the last MLC season, where he bagged 10 wickets at an average of 6.15, despite his team finishing fourth with just two wins in seven matches.

Rashid and Omarzai last participated in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2025, representing the Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings, respectively.

In addition, three Afghan players—Naveen-ul-Haq (MI New York), Noor Ahmed (Texas Super Kings), and Waqar Salamkheil (Seattle Orcas)—have joined their teams for the upcoming MLC 2025, set to start on Friday.

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Gulbadin Naib and Fazalhaq Farooqi, two Afghan players contracted with the Seattle Orcas, are still awaiting their visas, as reported.

The uncertainty surrounding Afghan players’ involvement in the league is due to a recent travel ban imposed by the United States.

This ban does, however, contain an exemption for “any athlete or member of an athletic team travelling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other significant sporting events as determined by the Secretary of State.”

Consequently, tournament organisers remain optimistic about the participation of Afghan players.

It’s worth noting that the third season of the MLC is set to kick off on June 12, featuring last year’s finalists, the Washington Freedom and San Francisco, going head-to-head at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California.

READ: Kagiso Rabada achieves major milestone in WTC final

Afghanistan spin wizard Rashid Khan has revealed the timeline for the national team’s journey toward winning an ICC trophy.

During a podcast with former Australian captain Michael Clarke, Rashid shared insights about his cricket career and his love for the game.

When asked about when Afghanistan will win an ICC trophy, Rashid expressed optimism about the national team’s journey, recalling crucial moments from marquee events.

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“I think that kind of belive is there and I always have that, ” he said.

Rashid, who is currently playing for the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), reflected on the 2024 T20 World Cup, mentioning that something significant was about to happen.

“The 2024 World Cup was something I already anticipated; unfortunately, things did not work out as they should have,” Rashid Khan recalled.

Rashid Khan highlighted the defeat against South Africa in the semi-final while revealing the timeline for the glory.

“The T20 World Cup, we went to the West Indies and we played against the best side South Africa, but we are not too far, I feel, the bunch of talent we have and the youngsters coming up.”

“There are couple of areas you work and I think we are not far away from any good side to defeat them,” he said.

It is pertinent to mention that Afghanistan were bundled for a meage playing their first-ever semi-final of a World Cup in any format, bundled for a meagre 56 runs in the first innings and succumbed to a humiliating nine-wicket against South Africa.

It is worth mentioning that in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, Afghanistan, playing in their first-ever World Cup semi-final in any format, succumbed to a humiliating nine-wicket defeat against South Africa.

READ: PSL 10: Mohammad Rizwan penalized for code of conduct breach against Islamabad United

LONDON: Australia star batter Steve Smith and Afghanistan spin wizard Rashid Khan are among the marquee players set to feature in The Hundred 2025.

Smith, along with Australian women’s cricketers Meg Lanning and Megan Schutt, will feature in the upcoming 100 ball tournament, set to be played in August later this year.

Afghanistan’s spinner Rashid Khan is also among the players set to feature in the tournament through direct signings.

Australian run machine Smith will join the Welsh Fire for the tournament. This marks the first time in the tournament history that the teams have been permitted to sign one player directly ahead of the draft on 12 March.

Twelve Direct Signings have been confirmed on Deadline Day in The Hundred, with the eight teams finalizing their retentions and forming their squads ahead of The Hundred Draft.

Apart from Smith and Rashid, numerous international stars have joined the competition. The notable names are Marcus Stoinis, New Zealand’s Trent Boult, South African David Miller, Faf du Plessis, and Heinrich Klaasen.

New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr, Kane Williamson, and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt had already been confirmed.

The above-mentioned players join a list of domestic and overseas retentions that includes England superstars Jos Buttler, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Adil Rashid, plus Australia’s Beth Mooney, West Indies’ Hayley Matthews, New Zealand’s Tim Southee, and Australia’s Ellyse Perry.

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‘The Hundred’ fifth edition will begin with a London derby between London Spirit and Oval Invincibles on Tuesday 5 August.

The Hundred 2025 Squad Retentions

Birmingham Phoenix Women: Ellyse Perry, Amy Jones, Emily Arlott, Megan Schutt, Hannah Baker, Charis Pavely, Sterre Kalis, Ailsa Lister

Birmingham Phoenix Men: Liam Livingstone, Ben Duckett, Trent Boult, Jacob Bethell, Benny Howell, Adam Milne, Dan Mousley, Tim Southee, Will Smeed, Chris Wood, Aneurin Donald

London Spirit Women: Grace Harris, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Charlie Dean, Deepti Sharma, Georgia Redmayne, Eva Gray, Cordelia Griffith, Tara Norris, Sophie Munro

London Spirit Men: Liam Dawson, Daniel Worrall, Kane Williamson, Richard Gleeson, Olly Stone, Ollie Pope, Keaton Jennings

Manchester Originals Women: Amelia Kerr, Sophie Ecclestone, Beth Mooney, Lauren Filer, Mahika Gaur, Evelyn Jones, Kathryn Bryce, Fi Morris, Danielle Gregory

Manchester Originals Men: Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Heinrich Klaasen, Matthew Hurst, Scott Currie, Josh Tongue, Tom Hartley, Sonny Baker, Tom Aspinwall

Northern Superchargers Women: Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Kate Cross, Bess Heath, Linsey Smith, Hollie Armitage, Alice Davidson-Richards, Grace Ballinger, Davina Perrin

Northern Superchargers Men: Harry Brook, Adil Rashid, David Miller, Mitchell Santner, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Ben Dwarshuis, Graham Clark, Pat Brown, Tom Lawes

Oval Invincibles Women: Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Meg Lanning, Tash Farrant, Ryana Macdonald-Gay, Sophia Smale, Jo Gardner, Rachel Slater

Oval Invincibles Men: Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Tom Curran, Jordan Cox, Rashid Khan, Saqib Mahmood, Sam Billings, Gus Atkinson, Nathan Sowter, Donovan Ferreira, Tawanda Muyeye

Southern Brave Women: Laura Wolvaardt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Maia Bouchier, Lauren Bell, Freya Kemp, Georgia Adams, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Rhianna Southby

Southern Brave Men: James Vince, Jofra Archer, Tymal Mills, Chris Jordan, Faf du Plessis, Leus Du Plooy, Craig Overton, Laurie Evans, Finn Allen, Danny Briggs, James Coles

Trent Rockets Women: Ash Gardner, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Alana King, Heather Graham, Bryony Smith, Grace Scrivens, Kirstie Gordon, Alexa Stonehouse, Natasha Wraith, Cassidy McCarthy

Trent Rockets Men: Joe Root, Marcus Stoinis, Tom Banton, John Turner, Sam Cook, Sam Hain, Tom Alsop, Calvin Harrison

Welsh Fire Women: Hayley Matthews, Tammy Beaumont, Jessica Jonassen, Shabnim Ismail, Sarah Bryce, Georgia Elwiss, Freya Davies, Georgia Davis, Emily Windsor, Beth Langston

Welsh Fire Men: Steve Smith, Jonny Bairstow, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Abell, Luke Wells, Stephen Eskinazi

READ: Afghanistan captain confident of reaching Champions Trophy semi-final

Afghanistan’s spin wizard Rashid Khan has etched his name in the history books as he broke the record for the most wickets in T20 cricket, previously held by West Indies’ Dwayne Bravo.

Rashid, who is currently playing for MI Cape Town in the SA20, achieved the milestone during the Qualifier 1 against Paarl Royals on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old spinner bowled Sri Lanka’s Dunith Wellalage (15) to go past Dwayne Bravo’s tally of 631 wickets. He also dismissed Dinesh Karthik (31) to return with bowling figures of 2-33.

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“It’s a great achievement,” Rashid told the broadcaster after the match. “I never thought about it, if you asked 10 years before this if I would get there.”

“It’s a proud feeling to be from Afghanistan and to be at that level where you top the table. DJ [Bravo] is one of the best T20 bowlers. It’s a great honour and I’m looking forward to continuing.”

It’s worth noting that Bravo took 582 matches to take 631 wickets, while Rashid has done it in just 461 games at a mind-blowing average of 18.07 and an economy of 6.49.

Most Wickets in T20 History

• Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) – 461 matches, 633 wickets
• Dwayne Bravo (West Indies) – 582 matches, 631 wickets
• Sunil Narine (West Indies) – 536 matches, 573 wickets
• Imran Tahir (South Africa) – 428 matches, 531 wickets
• Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) – 444 matches, 492 wickets

Rashid Khan has been a game-changer for every team he has played for, since making his T20 debut in 2015. His impact in T20 internationals is just as staggering as he is the second-highest wicket-taker with 161 scalps, just behind Tim Southee’s 164.

READ: Star Australian pacer likely to miss ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Afghanistan’s spin wizard Rashid Khan has etched his name in the history books as equalled the record for the most wickets in T20 cricket, held by West Indies’ Dwayne Bravo.

Rashid, who is currently playing for MI Cape Town in the SA20, achieved the milestone during the clash against Pretoria Capitals at SuperSport Park in Centurion on January 31.

In a high-scoring contest where a staggering 417 runs were piled up in two innings, the Afghanistan spinner steered his side to victory, finishing with figures of 2-25 in his four overs.

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His first breakthrough came in the 11th over when he rattled Pretoria Capitals’ captain Kyle Verreynne’s stumps. Then, in the 15th over, he cleaned up Marques Ackerman, drawing level with Bravo’s iconic tally of 631 T20 wickets.

It’s worth noting that Bravo took 582 matches to take 631 wickets, while Rashid has done it in just 460 games at a mind-blowing average of 18.08 and an economy of 6.49.

Most Wickets in T20 History

• Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) – 460 matches, 631 wickets
• Dwayne Bravo (West Indies) – 582 matches, 631 wickets
• Sunil Narine (West Indies) – 534 matches, 573 wickets
• Imran Tahir (South Africa) – 428 matches, 531 wickets
• Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) – 444 matches, 492 wickets
• Andre Russell (West Indies) – 535 matches, 466 wickets

Rashid Khan has been a game-changer for every team he has played for, since making his T20 debut in 2015. His impact in T20 internationals is just as staggering as he is the second-highest wicket-taker with 161 scalps, just behind Tim Southee’s 164.

READ: Jos Buttler criticizes India’s use of Harshit Rana as concussion sub

BULAWAYO: Star leg spinner Rashid Khan took his seventh wicket of the innings as Afghanistan speedily wrapped up a 72-run victory over Zimbabwe here on Monday to win the two-Test series.

Zimbabwe were 205-8 overnight with captain Craig Ervine unbeaten on 53 and needing 73 more runs to win the Test at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo after a drawn first Test.

But the home team failed to add a run and Afghanistan needed just 15 deliveries to seal a first Test win since beating Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi four years ago.

Richard Ngarava was run out for three, then man of the match Khan (7-66) added to his six-wicket haul on Sunday by trapping Ervine leg before. Ervine was the top Zimbabwe scorer with his 103-ball knock including a six and four fours.

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Rashid Khan tormented Zimbabwe throughout a match interrupted several times by rain, taking four wickets in the first innings as well.

The 26-year-old deflected attention from himself after receiving the player of the match award, praising second-innings’ centurions Rahmat Shah (139) — who was named player of the series — and debutant Ismat Alam (101) instead.

“The way they performed second time round got us back into the match,” he said, referring to the 86-run deficit the tourists faced after the first innings.

“The way Ismat shrugged off the disappointment of being out for nought in his first innings was amazing. He was hurt during the second innings but carried on for the sake of his country.

“I am recovering from back surgery so taking 11 wickets was very encouraging. It was all about adapting to the conditions, which initially favoured the bowlers, then the batters.”

READ: De Villiers attributes Kohli’s struggles to ‘over-involvement’ in on-field battles

Rashid Khan is set to play Test cricket for the first time in nearly four years after the world-renowned spinner was named Monday in the Afghanistan squad for a series in Zimbabwe.

The 26-year-old missed Afghanistan’s most recent Test matches on medical advice to heal a back injury for which he underwent surgery earlier this year.

He last played a Test against Zimbabwe in March 2021 but has been featuring in white-ball cricket.

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The two-match Test series between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe is scheduled to be played from December 26 to January 6 in Bulawayo.

“Rashid Khan’s return to the Test squad is a promising sign for our red-ball game going forward and we expect good performance from the team,” said Afghanistan Cricket Board’s (ACB) interim chief selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil.

Left-arm top-order batter Sediqullah Atal, who has played ODIs and T20Is, has been added to the Test squad for the first time.

Afghanistan Squad for Test series against Zimbabwe

Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhail, Afsar Zazai, Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ismat Alam, Azmatullah Omarzai, Zahir Khan, Zia Ur Rehman Akbar, Zahir Shehzad, Rashid Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad Afghan, Naveed Zadran, Fareed Ahmad Malik.

READ: Sarfaraz Ahmed reacts to Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim’s retirement

Ace spinner Rashid Khan has been included in the Afghanistan squad for the three-match ODI series against South Africa this month.

The 25-year-old leg-spinner missed the one-off Test against New Zealand in India, which is likely to be washed out after four days of rain delays, because of medical advice to rest his back. Rashid Khan underwent back surgery in November after the ODI World Cup in India.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said Rashid returns to the squad but opener Ibrahim Zadran will miss the series in Sharjah.

“Afghanistan will have the services of its all-time greatest spinner Rashid but prolific opener Zadran was ruled out due to an ankle sprain in his left leg,” the ACB said in a news release.

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Another spinner, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, is still recovering from a finger sprain, it said.

Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead the squad, while batters Darwish Rasooli and Abdul Malik, who played strongly in domestic one-day competitions, have been included in the squad.

Afghanistan and South Africa will square off in the three-match series at Sharjah Stadium from September 18-22.

Afghanistan Squad for South Africa series

Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ikram Alikhil, Abdul Malik, Riaz Hassan, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran, Fareed Ahmad.

READ: Champions Trophy 2025 will not be shifted from Pakistan, confirms ICC CEO

KABUL: Star spinner Rashid Khan was not named in Afghanistan’s preliminary squad for their first-ever Test against New Zealand.

The first-ever Test between the two sides will be played at the Shahid Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida from September 9 to 13.

Meanwhile, Rashid Khan failed to make a cut to Afghanistan’s 20-member preliminary squad for the upcoming Test.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) did not reveal the reason behind Rashid’s absence from the squad. However, it is understood that the spinner suffered a hamstring injury in The Hundred 2024.

The 20-member squad, led by Hashmatullah Shahidi will leave on August 28 where they will undergo a week-long training camp after which the contingent will be trimmed to 15 players.

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The ACB CEO expressed happiness to see youngsters in Afghanistan’s preliminary squad and also on embarking on bilateral ties with New Zealand.

“I am happy to see some youngsters in the squad who performed well in domestic cricket and have gotten the opportunity to be part of the Test squad for this Test match,” he said.

“ACB is delighted to be embarking on its maiden bilateral event with New Zealand which is a quality side in Test cricket and looks forward to a competitive event between the Black Caps and Afghanistan.”

Afghanistan preliminary Test squad

Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ikram Alikhel (wk), Shahidullah Kamal, Gulbadin Naib, Afsar Zazai (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ziaurrahman Akbar, Shamsurrahman, Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Nijat Masoud, Farid Ahmad Malik, Naveed Zadran, Khalil Ahmad, Yama Arab.

READ: Bangladesh coach wary of Babar, Rizwan threat in second Pakistan Test

SOUTHAMPTON: Veteran West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard decimated Afghanistan’s star spinner Rashid Khan in The Hundred 2024.

Pollard, representing Southern Braves in The Hundred, launched a brutal attack on Rashid as he smashed the Afghan spinner for five consecutive sixes towards the back end of the run chase against Trent Rockets.

Prior to his surreal thrashing of Rashid, Pollard was taking his time to get settled as he was on six off 14 balls.

He, however, made an astounding recovery and went on to score a 23-ball 45, paving the way for the Braves to chase down the 127-run target with a ball to spare.

For his quickfire knock, Kieron Pollard was adjudged the Player of the Match.

The Braves had slipped to 78/6 after 80 balls when Sam Cook dismissed Akeal Hosein.

Rashid Khan came to bowl the next over with Kieron Pollard on strike. The leg-spinner bowled a shorter delivery on the middle stump which Pollard comfortably launched it for a six by backing away.

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He struck a mightier hit on the next ball over the long-off boundary. Rashid bowled another straighter delivery and suffered the same consequence.

The leg-spinner then looked to change his line and bowled fractionally wide outside off but Pollard, fuelled with momentum, backed away again to make some room and pumped one over deep mid-wicket for his fourth six.

Kieron Pollard was then delivered a slower and fuller ball outside off by Rashid Khan and he effortlessly dispatched it for a mighty six over long-off.

 

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Pollard’s onslaught turned the game on its head as the Braves were then required 19 off 15 deliveries with four wickets in hand.

His brilliant knock lasted on the 91st delivery of the innings when he was run out by substitute fielder Calvin Harrison.

Coming out to bat at No.9, Chris Jordan then sealed the deal for Southern Braves by hitting a four on the penultimate delivery.

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