Afghanistan's spin wizard Rashid Khan has pulled out of the upcoming season of The Men's Hundred 2023 due to an unspecified injury. Rashid was due to play three matches for Trent Rockets before he was to be replaced with New Zealand's star leg spinner Ish Sodhi. In six matches for MI New York in the recently culminated, the Afghan spinner bagged eight wickets at an average of 20.50 and an impressive economy rate of 6.83.
Rockets will now rely on Pakistan's Imad Wasim, who will play the first three fixtures of the side before Ish Sodhi joins the squad to handle the mantle of the spin attack throughout the season.
Rashid expressed his frustration on missing out on the third season of The Hundred, however, he didn't specify the injury that has forced him to not participate in the tournament.
"I'm really disappointed to have to withdraw from The Hundred through injury. It's been great to play in the competition the first two years, Trent Rockets is a great team, and I hope to be back again next year," the 24-year-old leggie said as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Rockets won the men's competition in the 2022 edition after they defeated Manchester Originals in the summit clash at Lord's on September 3 by a margin of just two wickets.
Dawid Malan was the leading run-scorer for Rockets in the last season after he finished with 377 runs in nine games that he played in total. His batting numbers looked fairly impressive as he struck four half-centuries and aggregated runs at a majestic strike rate of 166.81 and also averaged an impressive 53.85. Rockets would love to replicate their last season's heroics this year.
Meanwhile, Rashid is not the only renowned absentee this season. He has joined the list of players like Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Ellyse Perry, and Australia's wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy.
