Explained: Why Rashid Khan Failed Vs South Africa In Champions Trophy

Anurag Dasgupta

Why Rashid failed Vs SA [Source: AP Photo]Why Rashid failed Vs SA [Source: AP Photo]

How many times does it happen that Rashid Khan goes wicketless in a game?. This is what happened when Afghanistan collided with South Africa in the third match of the Champions Trophy. The leader of the Afghan bowling attack looked lacklustre and Proteas batters took advantage of it.

On a wicket which had little assistance for the spinners, Rashid failed to bowl at right lines and lengths as he made life easier for the opposition batters. Why exactly he failed in the ongoing clash? Here are the reasons.

1) South Africa never allowed to settle him

Rashid Khan's numbers Vs South Africa

Criterion
Data
Runs Given59
Balls Delivered60
Wickets0
Economy Rate5.90

Normally you see batters taking less risks against Rashid Khan and targeting the other bowlers. However, in the ongoing clash, the Proteas batters had a different approach.

They took the attack to him and never allowed Rashid to settle in as they punished his loose deliveries and disrupted his rhythm. An economy of 5.90 is not too bad in an ODI match, but for Rashid's standards, these are expensive numbers and show how well the Proteas side played him.

2) South Africa rotated the strike well

Rashid is a wicket-taking bowlers and teams try and defend him way too much which allow him to dominate the batters.

However, the South African batters, particularly, Ryan Rickelton was outstanding against him as he rotated the strike on a constant basis which meant that Rashid couldn't build the pressure on the batters.

When the boundaries were not coming against him, the batters played in singles and doubles and it eased up the pressure on the Proteas.

3) Rashid's lines and lengths were not accurate today

Number of deliveries bowled on middle and leg stump

Criterion
Data
Balls bowled on middle and leg55%
Balls bowled on off stump line40%

As the data suggests, Rashid's lines and lengths were disrupted and he bowled way too many deliveries on the middle and leg stump line.

Almost 55 percent of his balls were on the middle and leg line, and a potential reason for it is because South Africa rotated the strike well and had a righty-lefty combination as both Bavuma and Rickelton looked solid against him.

It is never easy bowling to a lefty-righty pair and Rashid, despite all his experience wasn't at his best as the batters found it easy to nudge away the balls since they were not threatening at all.