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Rashid Khan set for ILT20 return after three years; to play for MI Emirates as replacement

Aakash Saini

Rashid Khan [Source: @acb_190/X]Rashid Khan [Source: @acb_190/X]

Rashid Khan is poised to make his return to International League T20 (ILT20) after a gap of three years through the ongoing 2025-26 edition in the UAE. The senior Afghanistan spinner and star all-rounder has been roped in by the MI Emirates franchise for ILT20 2025-26 as a replacement for England fast bowler Jordan Thompson.

Rashid Khan, who recently toured Zimbabwe as part of the Afghanistan team, last played ILT20 cricket back in 2023 during the inaugural edition of the tournament.

MI Emirates nab Rashid Khan as replacement

The MI Emirates franchise has roped in legendary Afghanistan all-rounder Rashid Khan for the ongoing ILT20 2025-26 season in the UAE. It is worth noting that Rashid played a key role in MI Emirates’ sister franchise, the MI Cape Town in SA20 2025 earlier this year.

Leading Cape Town, the wily leg-spinner picked up 12 wickets in 11 innings, including one in the final as his team lifted the SA20 2025 title by defeating defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

With proven success for MI, Rashid Khan will now join the likes of fellow Afghanistan international AM Ghazanfar, West Indies T20 superstars Andre Fletcher, Nicholas Pooran and Romario Shepherd, Bangladesh legend Shakib Al Hasan and ace English trio of Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton and Chris Woakes in ILT20 2025-26.

The MI Emirates franchise will play their opening match of the ILT20 2025-26 season on Thursday, December 4 against Gulf Giants. The match will be hosted by the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, and will likely mark Rashid Khan’s first ILT20 game since 2023, i.e., nearly three years ago when he also represented the MI Emirates back during the inaugural edition of the tournament.