Top 5 Rashid Khan Spells In T20Is
Rashid Khan is the fastest bowler to 100 T20I wickets [X.com]
Afghanistan travel to India for their historic first-ever series against the hosts, which will consist of three matches starting from January 11.
Overall, in 4 T20Is, Afghanistan have a regretful 0-4 record for the Asian giants, who will make use of this series as a tool for preparing for the upcoming ICC T20I World Cup 2024.
For Afghanistan, ace spinner Rashid Khan will be expected to deliver the good, having played in the IPL with much success for franchises like Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans.
Khan, 25, gained fame in the T20 format since making a debut in 2015, and come 2023 is regarded as the hottest property in global leagues. The leg-spinner with his quick arm action coupled with deceptive delivery changes, makes him an effective weapon, in a format where the batters are always on the lookout for big runs.
In 82 T20Is, Khan has already claimed 130 wickets at a phenomenal average of 14.80 and a miser economy of 6.16.
In this article, we at OneCricket list down top five Khan spells in T20Is, which have left batters stunned, and amazed.
5/27 vs Ireland, Dehradun 2018
Rashid Khan claimed four wickets in four balls [X.com]
In a match, where Afghanistan were defending 210, Rashid Khan produced a never-before-seen bowling show, which enabled the bowler to enter an elite list
Ireland's Kevin O'Brien kept his side afloat scoring a determined 43-ball 74, before Khan unleashed himself and made quick-work for the match. Khan claimed O'Brien on the final ball of the 15th over, and created history in the 17th over, claiming a hat-trick, a first for a spinner in 20-overs international cricket
Khan lapped up wickets of George Dockrell, Shane Getkate, and Simi Singh in the first-three balls of his third over then squashed Ireland's hope of a win, and became the first T20I bowler to pick four wickets in four balls.
4/12, Bangladesh, Dehradun 2018
Rashid Khan claimed his first-ever four-wicket haul vs Bangladesh [X.com]
Having acclimatised to conditions in India, Afghanistan played their maiden T20 series against Bangladesh in their adopted home Dehradun in 2017.
With a 1-0 lead, Bangladesh hoping to stay alive in the three-match series opted to bat first, where Rashid Khan wrecked the opponent's middle-order. Khan's first wicket came in the form of captain Shakib Al Hasan, following whom the spinner claimed the dangerous-looking Tamim Iqbal, who slammed 43.
In the same over, Khan got rid of Mosaddek Hossain to notch up a brilliant three-wicket over, where only two runs came. Explosive Soumya Sarkar became Khan's fourth and final wicket, which concluded his quota of four overs, which had 13 dot balls.
5/3 vs Ireland, Greater Noida 2017
Rashid Khan claimed his first T20I fifer against Ireland [X.com]
Still an unknown commodity in world cricket, Ireland came up against a rising Rashid Khan in 2017. Khan, fresh from earning an IPL contract, Khan demolished a strong Irish batting line-up to pick his maiden T20I fifer, which came aged 18.
Chasing 185, Khan single-handedly spelled doom for Ireland's middle-order, claiming wickets of Kevin O'Brien, Gary Wilson, and Lorcan Tucker, which shifted the match in Afghanistan's favour in dramatic fashion.
Khan displayed a precise change of pace and often invited batters into playing the wrong line to pick his maiden five-wicket haul, which came in a record-span of 12 balls., which include a triple-wicket over as well.
4/9 vs Scotland, ICC T20 World Cup 2021
Rashid Khan blew Scotland's batting away with a four-for [X.com]
Looking to start off their ICC T20 World Cup 2021 campaign, Afghanistan came up against a spirited Scotland in a Group 1 encounter. After the batters ran riot and put up a massive 190 runs on the board, spinners Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman spun their opponents into oblivion.
While Rahman toppled the top order with his off-spin, Khan came at hammered the final nails in the coffin, claiming four wickets. Already five down for 36, Khan bamboozled the late-middle order and the tail with his guile, and trickery, matching Rahman wicket-for-wicket, who managed to clinch a fifer.
This also the sixth time that Khan claimed a T20I four-for, which puts him joint-second with players like Umar Gul, Dhruvkumar Maisuria, and Nalin Nipiko.
3/22 vs Bangladesh, T20 Asia Cup 2022
Rashid Khan stunned Bangladesh with a clinical 3-for [X.com]
With a chance to qualify for the Super Four stage, Afghanistan and Bangladesh clashed in Sharjah during the T20 Asia Cup 2022. Opting to bat on a flat track, the Afghanistan spinning duo of Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan trampled over the more experienced Bangladesh side.
Khan, who came into the attack with Bangladesh already three-down, trapped the veteran Mushfiqur Rahim for a four-ball one and then ended a promising standing between Afif Hossain and Mahmudullah, getting rid of the former for 12.
Former Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah, who was looking to take the game away, holed out at midwicket, trying to slog sweep the wily leg-spinner on a 27-ball 24.
 "Vishal Mehra")
