Rashid Khan takes his 600th T20 wicket as ‘Afghan Atal’ scales Hindu Kush in franchise cricket

Early in his career, Rashid Khan‘s unorthodox bowling motion attracted notice. But the leg-spinner ensured that was not what he wanted to be associated with; instead, he was widely recognised as the quick, tight-lined, quick-witted spinner who was stamped by the great Muttiah Muralitharan while he was employed as the Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach in the Indian Premier League. After taking his 600th T20 wicket on July 30, 2024, Rashid moved up to the second spot on the list of T20 cricket’s highest wicket-takers.

When Afghanistan fell and became a desolate place with conflict at its height, the young Afghan emerged from the Pakistani refugee camps where cricket was blooming. He excelled academically and was more interested in cricket. Little did he know that he would be doctoring his skill to pick wickets of world-class cricket players when he first dreamed of being a doctor. In just 438 outings, he passed the 600-wicket threshold, 78 innings ahead of the top-ranked Dwayne Bravo, who has 630 wickets in 543 innings to date.

Alexander, the King of Macedonia, famously remarked that in Afghanistan, even the mud is hostile. Things got worse for players and supporters during the extremist-led bombings at local cricket tournaments in Afghanistan in 2018 and 2022.

Also Read: The Hundred 2024: Imad Wasim Castles clueless Jamie Overton with a ripper

The globe, notably India, welcomed players like Rashid, Mohammad Nabi, and emerging players Azmatullah Omarzai and Fazalhaq Farooqi thanks to their IPL contracts. Suryakumar Yadav, the T20 maestro, praised Rashid, calling him the “best bowler in the world” and “hard to pick.” Rashid is a remarkable talent.

Rashid Khan establishes an unbreakable record for aspiring Afghan cricket players.

He’s given the stat-obsessed cricket fans one more reason to put a shiny fridge magnet next to his name. The 600th wicket will always be special because it was taken by the “Afghan Atal” while keeping an economy of 6.47 and an average of 18.25—an astonishing statistic for someone who has travelled the globe and represented nearly 20 different franchises. He claimed Paul Walter’s wicket in The Hundred 2024 while playing for the Trent Rockets.