Rashid Khan Turns 28 Today! Top 5 Moments That Changed His Career

Rashid Khan celebrates his birthday today. In this article we have looked at the Top 5 moments that defined his career.

As Rashid Khan celebrates his 28th birthday, he stands alone as Afghanistan’s first global cricket superstar and arguably the most influential T20 bowler in history. Born on the 20th of September, 1998, Rashid’s journey from a refugee camp in Peshawar to dominating global franchise leagues and leading his nation is nothing short of a fairy tale.

Here are the top 5 definitive moments that changed his career and changed the course of Afghanistan cricket forever:

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1. The 2017 IPL Auction Breakthrough

Before early 2017, Rashid was a highly respected bowler primarily within Associate cricket circles but his luck suddenly changed its course during the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction when Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him for ₹4 crore, which changed his life once and forever. He became one of the first Afghan players to get a major IPL contract. He showcased his lightning-quick arm action, sharp leg-breaks and unpickable wrong’uns which completely destroyed world-class batters. In his debut season he picked up 17 wickets, which immediately caught the attention of the global eyes.

2. Destroying the Caribbeans in St. Lucia (2017)

In June 2017, Afghanistan played their first-ever bilateral ODI series against a major cricketing nation, the West Indies. In the first ODI at Gros Islet, Rashid produced an outstanding and shocking spell of 7 for 18 which left everyone in awe. This remains the fourth-best bowling performance in the entire history of ODI cricket. He single-handedly destroyed the West Indies batting order to defend a low total, proving his potential on the international stage while representing his country. This performance ultimately won him the 2017 ICC Associate Cricketer of the Year award.

3. Fastest and Youngest to 100 ODI Wickets (2018)

During the 2018 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, Rashid broke a historic world record by becoming the fastest bowler ever to reach 100 ODI wickets, achieving the feat in just 44 matches. He surpassed the 52 matches record of Mitchell Starc. Following this milestone, at just 19 years and 165 days old, he also became the youngest player to top the ICC ODI Bowling Rankings and the youngest ever to captain an international side. This further solidified his status on the international stage.

4. Historic Test Triumph Over Bangladesh (2019)

When Afghanistan was granted Test status, critics doubted whether Rashid’s white-ball magic could convert into the tough five-day format. In September 2019, at just 20 years and 350 days old, he was named Afghanistan’s youngest Test captain for a match against Bangladesh in Chattogram. Shutting the mouth of the experts, Rashid immediately showcased an all-round masterclass as he smashed an important 51 with the bat and took 11 wickets in the match (5/55 and 6/49) to script a historic and emotional victory for Afghanistan away from home. It proved that his analytical cricket mind and stamina were perfectly suited for red-ball cricket.

5. Leading Afghanistan to the 2024 T20 World Cup Semi-Finals

Rashid has won numerous franchise league trophies globally which includes the IPL with the Gujarat Titans but his ultimate crowning achievement came as the national captain during the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Under his strong leadership, Afghanistan removed their “underdog” tag permanently as they pulled off monumental, historic tournament victories by knocking out teams like New Zealand and Australia to qualify for their first-ever World Cup semi-final. Rashid’s leadership and clutch execution united his country in celebration and permanently established Afghanistan as a major superpower in world cricket.