At post-match speeches and even press conferences, Rashid Khan exhibits this quite amusing habit. It nearly follows a pattern. When he begins an answer by saying, “I don’t have much to say,” that’s usually when he speaks the most. In fact, it’s cute, particularly when he opens with a hesitant, almost bashful grin.
Perhaps he’s simply used to going overboard. Because, really, that’s all Rashid Khan does when he’s on the field. He overdelivers on the field, at bat, and with the ball, and he does it with an intensity and passion that is impossible to match. Even though Rashid finds it difficult to control it sometimes, as Karim Janat discovered when a cricket bat flew in his way. Alternatively each time a fielder mishandles a ball upon getting to it after Rashid bowls, or even just sometimes.
But how can you really criticize Rashid for being a little too passionate at times when all he ever does is give his best to every ball he fields, bowls, or bats against as if his life and career depended on it?
The wider picture will always be discussed in relation to Afghanistan’s men’s team accomplishing the types of achievements they have here in the Caribbean, such as beating Australia to advance to the semi-final and decisively defeating New Zealand in the group stages. But it’s also critical to continually emphasizing how excellent of a cricket squad they have become, particularly in Twenty20 Internationals and with Rashid leading the team in recent times. Because, except from a few disappointing matches against India and the West Indies, Rashid’s team has played with the same tenacity and professionalism as any of the other three semi-finalists.
Start by just examining the statistics. Afghanistan produces three of the top five wicket-takers in the world. Afghanistan produces two of the tournament’s top three run scorers. And at the top of both those rankings is an Afghan.
Rashid is, of course, in the running for the third spot among bowlers with the most scalps so far, behind Arshdeep Singh and Fazalhaq Farooqi. However, there’s always more to him than the stats. What is most noticeable is the effect that the guy, who is perhaps the world’s most sought-after T20 cricket player, has whenever he has the ball in his hands or when his side most needs it. In other words, the manner he consistently overdelivers.
Similar to how he turned the tide of the match against Bangladesh in the crucial encounter, taking four wickets in his first three overs, including a double strike in his third -, to change the tide when Bangladesh seemed to be coasting. His six-hitting earlier in the evening helped Afghanistan reach a total above 110, which was once again necessary to put Bangladesh under serious pressure on a surface that would never be simple to chase.
Because of his natural enthusiasm and drive to always give it his best, he has inspired many other team members to do the same. Even if Gulbadin Naib’s antics later that evening may have gone a touch too far.
One of the finest examples of such is Naveen-Ul-Haq. Whether playing for Afghanistan or even in the IPL, the new-ball bowler has always been an aggressive presence in the powerplay, posing a threat to all left-handers. However, he has improved his game to the point where he has the best control in this World Cup, both with the new ball and at the end. In the end, he also shown incredible bravery by bowling when Litton Das seemed to be winning the match. And given the significance of what he accomplished, his ball to remove Mustafizur Rahman—which trapped the No. 11 in front of his stumps—will be replayed for years to come.
Not only did his delivery dismiss Travis Head in the first over of Australia’s run-chase, but it was also a really nice ball that merits credit for giving his side a strong start in that crucial match. Naveen, who took four wickets in the end, has contributed just as much to Afghanistan’s development as his skipper.
There’s also a little of Rashid in him. The way he waited a few seconds before unleashing his fury and punishing Azmatullah for his poor play and careless enabling of the second run. The way he never hesitates to announce his presence to a batter throughout a game. The assurance he exudes in his bowling, seen in the way he administers his own fields.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz does with the bat what Naveen does with the ball. In addition to being the leading run scorer in this World Cup so far, the tough wicket-keeper batsman has been the mainstay of his team’s batting efforts, and Afghanistan has benefited greatly from his accomplishments in many ways. The two games his team has lost, both heavily, are the two occasions he has struggled to get going at bat. When facing off against a well-known rival, he seems to take no prisoners, much as Naveen does. His conversations with Marcus Stoinis, although not too emotional, were revealing about the way this Afghanistan squad saw itself in comparison to its much more experienced opponents. Similar to Naveen, Gurbaz has shown a high level of maturity by learning to adapt his style of play to the unique circumstances of the Caribbean thanks to his travels across the T20 league.
Although not particularly noteworthy at first, his tournament strike-rate of 126.01 is a reflection of the wickets Afghanistan has played on as well as his cricketing acumen in recognizing the demands of his team and the playing circumstances.
There are still more; Farooqi, Noor Ahmad, and Ibrahim Zadran are a few of their bright spots.
just how Rashid would have them be. Keep your profile low, but when it counts most, go above and beyond.
