Rashid Khan, the Afghan cricketer, has become the new world number 1 T20I bowler, adding another feather to his already impressive cap. Rashid, in his eight-year-long career, has achieved numerous records that are unmatched by any other cricketer. On this special occasion, let’s take a look at three of his unbeatable records.
- Fastest to pick 100 T20I wickets: In 2021, at the age of 23, Rashid Khan became the fastest bowler to pick 100 T20I wickets. He achieved this feat in his 53rd match, leaving behind Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga, who took 76 matches, and New Zealand’s Ish Sodhi, who took 78 matches to reach the milestone.
- Best Bowling figures for an associate nation: In 2017, at the age of 19, Rashid Khan took the best bowling figures for an associate nation, Afghanistan, in T20Is. He finished with figures of 5/3, which are the best by any associate nation’s bowler. The next best bowling figures for an associate nation are held by Samiullah Shenwari (AFG), Ahsan Malik (NL), NN Odhiambo (KENYA), and AC Evans (SCOT).
- First bowler for Afghanistan to take a ten-wicket haul in Tests: Rashid Khan became the first bowler for Afghanistan to take a ten-wicket haul in Tests. He achieved this feat against Bangladesh in 2019. He was also the first cricketer to score a fifty and take a ten-wicket haul in his debut match as captain in a Test match.
Apart from these records, Rashid Khan has also achieved numerous other milestones in his career, some of which are:
- Youngest captain to lead a team in an international match at the age of 19 years and 165 days.
- Fastest bowler to take 50 ODI wickets for Afghanistan, achieving the feat in 26 matches.
- First Afghanistan player to play in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL).
- Most wickets by an overseas player in the history of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
- Second-highest wicket-taker in T20Is in the year 2018, behind Kuldeep Yadav of India.
- Highest wicket-taker in T20Is in the year 2019, with 22 wickets in 12 matches.
In conclusion, Rashid Khan’s journey in cricket has been nothing short of remarkable. He has achieved numerous milestones in his career and continues to be a dominant force in the world of cricket. With his skill, dedication, and hard work, he has become an inspiration to millions of cricket fans around the world.