Rashid Khan bags ICC T20I Cricketer of the Decade award: What does it mean to Afghanistan?

Because the world is so mesmerised by the shimmer and rapid nature of the T20 format, it has forgotten what resurgence and persistence look like. A few years ago, a naive Rashid Khan, probably playing tape-ball cricket in a nation not particularly known for its intimacy with cricket, could only dream of what he's become today. Born in Nangarhar, eastern Afghanistan, Rashid has had his fair share of troubles, which included fleeing to Pakistan with family and finding solace away from the Afghan war.

Fast forward to the present day and it turns out that Rashid, currently 22, pipped the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to bag the prestigious ICC Men's T20I Player of the Decade award. Labelled as one of the best modern-day tweakers, Rashid's journey in international cricket is a testament to his perseverance and hard work. The Afghanistan superstar, who's now more than just a household name in his country, took world cricket by storm with his short yet influential stint, especially in the T20 form of the game.

Rashid himself was left 'speechless' after receiving the top honour from the ICC. More than being a personal milestone, he knew what the award meant for his beloved nation, previously known for everything but cricket. What's even more impressive is the fact that Rashid climbed up to win the top honour in just five years, also elevating Afghanistan cricket during the course of his journey so far.

“I am speechless after this award. For someone from Afghanistan to get this award, it’s a special moment for me, for my country and my fans,” he said in a video posted on ICC’s Twitter page.

The leg-spinner, also known for his fiery batting cameos, stepped into international cricket in 2015. In a span of just five years, Rashid escalated to the top of the pile, having scalped 84 wickets at an astounding average of 12.62. During the period, he has also registered three four-wicket hauls and two fifers. 

His wicket-taking spree in T20Is also comprised his blitzkrieg against Ireland where he plucked four wickets in four deliveries, becoming only the second bowler to do so in the history of international cricket after Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga. His economy rate is also phenomenal, conceding just 6.14 runs per over in a format where batsmen are predominantly in the driver's seat.  

Despite not being coached all his life, Rashid, a great exponent of the art of spin bowling, is currently fancied by almost every domestic franchise across the globe. The leg-spinner's fairytale in world cricket started in 2015 with his ODI debut against Zimbabwe. A year and a half later, he was courted by multiple Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises in the auction until SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) fetched him for a whopping INR 4 crores. The tweaker was also among the two first-ever Afghan players to be selected for the IPL.

Drawing inspiration from the likes of Shahid Afridi and Anil Kumble, Rashid, in no time, was up against 'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle in a jam-packed Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, home to the Hyderabad franchise. 

Despite not being a great turner of the ball, Rashid instantly left a mark with his pace and leg-spin variations, each with a different action. He picked up two wickets on his IPL debut against Royal Challengers Bangalore as the Hyderabad side pocketed the match by 35 runs. Just after a year, Rashid was playing his 100th T20 game, indicating his upsurge in the shortest format.

Even Sachin Tendulkar, in awe of Rashid's skill, had labelled him the best bowler of the T20 format in 2018. “I always felt Rashid Khan was a good spinner but now I wouldn’t hesitate in saying he is the best spinner in the world in this format," the legendary Indian batsman had said.

Many would argue that Rashid's record against top teams is nowhere near his calibre. He has picked just three wickets against the top nations (AUS, ENG, PAK, IND, NZ, SL, SA). His 86 scalps from 89 T20I wickets have come against Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Ireland, Omar, Scotland, UAE, West Indies and Zimbabwe. 

Amazing to be someone who's changing lives of youngsters: Rashid

Though many would tag Rashid as a T20 league player and not a T20 Internationals' bowler, the fact that Afghanistan operates from a stadium in India says much about the Asian country's on-going growth in international cricket. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee International Cricket Stadium in Lucknow has been allocated to Afghanistan as their home ground in the country. Before this, they hosted teams at Dehradun and Greater Noida.

While Afghanistan isn't able to play much international cricket so far, they haven't lagged in unearthing several stars in recent times. Bolstering their acclaimed spin unit, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Zahir Khan are two rising names, shepherding Afghanistan cricket along with their leader, Rashid. More than all the honours, records and bowling figures, Rashid becoming a global superstar is of more value to his country.

“It feels amazing to be someone who is changing the lives of youngsters. To be someone who is helping change their mindset and plans about what they want to become in the future," Rashid had recently told Ravichandran Ashwin in the latter's YouTube show, DRS with Ash.

“They were not busy with sports and were not too much interested in sports. They were mostly interested in other activities which were not good for the country also. It’s a huge honour for me to be someone who is helping them change,” he had added.

Still 22, he certainly has a long way to go before he curtails an already illustrious career. With Rashid already being a transcendent figure in Afghanistan cricket, the future certainly looks bright for the war-torn nation.