Rashid Khan was in the news prior IPL 10 due to his excellent international performance for his national team, Afghanistan. He also was one of the costliest buy this IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad camp. Among all the buzzes and limelights, being the only player in history from Afghanistan to play in IPL, he never lost his eye to perform well and show his worth!
The teenage Afghan spinner has already showed his cuts and thrusts in the first two matches for his team. Sunrisers Hyderabad raised eyebrows by splurging 40 million Indian rupees in an auction to land the unheralded leg-spinner from Afghanistan, a dream debut ! On 10 March 2017, Rashid took his maiden T20I five wicket haul at the second T20I against Ireland. His figures of five wickets for three runs is the best bowling performance by an Afghan cricket in a T20I and the joint fourth-best figures in all T20Is
A record IPL bid, series-winning efforts in T20s and ODIs – Rashid kicked off his Intercontinental Cup career with a five-wicket haul against Ireland. A new rising in world cricket terms. Rashid grabbed the top wicket-taker’s ‘purple cap’ on Sunday after his 3-19 set up a comprehensive win over Gujarat Lions.
But, the teenager rightly claimed that his dream is not only just to play the short format agmes but to give services to his national team in test cricket.
“The target is – I should play Test cricket for my country,” the 18-year-old told Reuters in a telephone interview before the game against Gujarat. “That’s my main target, to be called a Test cricketer.”
Afghanistan are knocking on the door of Test cricket after beating Ireland in last month’s ICC Intercontinental Cup and it was a dream year for Rashid. He says IPL is giving him a great exposure to learn from other pioneers of the game in world cricket and letting him get used to such conditions.
“It’s been a wonderful experience, playing with big names like (David) Warner, Yuvraj (Singh), Kane Williamson. We’ve one of the best coaching staff that includes Tom Moody and (Muttiah) Muralitharan. It changes your game,” he added.
“To be part of such a wonderful team also shows that I’ve something and I’m capable of giving.”
Rashid impressed immediately against Royal Challengers Bangalore, claiming two wickets, and his googly is so well camouflaged that even Mccullum and Aaron Finch could not read it in the match against Gujarat.
HOW IT ALL STARTED FROM AUCTION:
The tenth IPL auction was a whole buzz, where top players like Ishant Sharma, Irfan Pathan and Imran Tahir went unsold and the franchises showed much interest in uncapped players across the nation. Rashid was the highest buy with a whooping amount!
Rashid was touring Zimbabwe with the Afghanistan team when he received a call from his family early one morning asking him to follow the auction.
“I woke up and was watching the auction. Imran Tahir’s name came and went. I was a little bit tense and was thinking if he was not taken then how would I be?
“It was wonderful to be part of an IPL team. You can’t express that feeling,” he said.
WELL not only Rashid but his Afghan team-mate Mohammad Nabi too got in his team though for a more modest three million rupees.
Rashid said his IPL stint would inspire similar dreams in Afghanistan where he and his team mates had to overcome a lack of facilities to make an impression, where playing is still a dream
“It means a lot for Afghanistan cricket. It’s a big thing for a player from an associate member to play in such a big event like IPL,” he said.
“It’s a wonderful message to all the players in Afghanistan — that if you work hard and perform well, you can achieve any target.”
“I have nothing in my mind. I’ve been playing non-stop cricket for the last three months.
“I have not been to home for a long time. Once I’m free, get some time and go home, I’d discuss with family and decide what to do with it.”
Well, hope this boy doesn’t get too much lost in all this limelight and go on moving forward with his googlies to make his own price tag worth and also set a standard for nations like Afghanistan. After all, it’s cricket that wins the show!