Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan Credits: Twitter

Afghanistan all-rounder Rashid Khan has withdrawn from the upcoming edition of the Big Bash League after suffering a back injury for which he is likely to undergo surgery. The 25-year-old will not turn up for Adelaide Strikers, which could be a huge blow to the team given his all-around abilities.

Rashid Khan played for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League for seven years. The Allrounder, who played in all nine matches of Afghanistan’s historic ODI World Cup campaign, which included a historic victory over Pakistan and England, is expected to have surgery. They have not yet announced a replacement for the outstanding all-rounder but will do so in the near future.

Speaking to the media, Adelaide General Manager Tim Nielsen feels that Rashid Khan would be a huge miss for the team, being the fan favourite for the crowd, and wishes him to come back stronger after the surgery.

“Rashid is a beloved member of the Strikers and a fan favourite who has been with us for seven years, so he will be extremely missed this summer,” Adelaide General Manager of Cricket Tim Nielsen.

Rashid Khan With His Teammate
Rashid Khan With His Teammate Credits: Twitter
“Rashid loves Adelaide and the Strikers, and we know how much he loves playing in the BBL, and we support him as he has treatment for this injury to ensure his long-term involvement in the game,” Nielsen added.
Rashid Khan is surely one of the top all-rounders in the world at this moment, he has the ability to pick wickets at any surface and can hit valuable runs while batting down the order Rashid plays all over the world in different T20 leagues from IPL, and BBL to PSL, impressing everyone with his skillset in the shortest format of the game.
The Afghanistan all-rounder’s retention rights will be with the Adelaide Strikers for the next season and is likely to be retained due to the all-rounder’s abilities. Notably, Rashid Khan had already vowed to withdraw from the BBL in protest over Australia’s cancellation of the ODI series against Afghanistan.

Apart from Rashid, the Strikers will be without England batter Harry Brook for this BBL season. The Strikers did not have the best of luck in the last BBL. They finished fourth in the points standings and would be hoping for a better performance this time around.