Afghanistan ace spinner Rashid Khan has had opened up about his batting when he tried to emulate former Pakistan skipper and celebrated all-rounder Shahid Afridi. The prominent leg-spinner reiterated that he had found Afridi’s batting style unique during his early days of cricketing career.
However, Afridi has failed utterly owing to the consistency on the responsibility front. The big-hitting sensation has lightened up the stadium with his pyrotechnics.
Furthermore, the Peshawar-born cricketer Afridi has played cameos for Pakistan, which equally saw him doing justice owing to his batting position.
Meanwhile, Afridi has been in the news for all the wrong reasons concurrently after scathing seniors Pakistan players in his memoir – ‘The Game Changer.’
Rashid Khan wanted to emulate Afridi:
Besides, the impactful player has done outstanding well with the bowl which evidently saw him bowling at a sheer pace.
Interestingly, Rashid, who’s currently serving as a premium spinner for Afghanistan, started off his career as an opening batsman. He has also credited Afridi for being his inspiration.
Overall, he has four fifties to his name in 58 ODIs.
Meanwhile, Rashid is the part of Afghanistan’s 15-man World Cup squad. He is among the core group of players for Afghanistan at the quadrennial event.
The 20-year-old Rashid reiterated Afridi is that sort of a player who has fans all over the World. Also, he remarked one wouldn’t witness such players regularly.
While dissecting Afridi’s game Rashid maintained Afridi doesn’t have enough tons but the way he has played cameos for his team has earned him fans worldwide.
“He is one player who has fans all over the world. You don’t get such players every day. Check his record, he doesn’t have many centuries, but whenever he arrived, he would hit four-five-six sixes, entertain and leave. That is why he had fans. You had to become his fan,” Rashid told ESPNcricinfo.
Rashid met Shahid Afridi in Bangladesh in 2016:
In 2016-17, the duo met during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Afridi reminisced that they did not talk in detail about anything, but he revealed Rashid was elated on seeing him.
“As such, we didn’t talk about anything, in particular, even cricket or bowling, but I remember how happy he was to meet me, “Afridi stated.
Meanwhile, Rashid is concurrently getting ready for the gruelling English summer in a bid to surprise a couple of teams. Afghanistan will play their opener against Australia-led by Aaron Finch on June 1st in Bristol