Kabul, Afghanistan – Afghanistan’s cricket captain, Rashid Khan, has been inundated with congratulatory messages from prominent international figures after becoming the first player in history to take 700 wickets in Twenty20 (T20) cricket. The milestone, achieved during a domestic match in Bangladesh, underscores his status as one of the most dominant bowlers in the sport’s shortest format.
Richard Lindsay, the United Kingdom’s Special Envoy to Afghanistan, was among the first to acknowledge the achievement. In a statement, Lindsay hailed Rashid Khan’s “historic feat,” calling it a “major world record.” He also took the opportunity to commend the recent performances of Afghanistan and England at the ongoing T20 World Cup, expressing his wishes for “further success to Afghanistan, England and Scotland in the remaining group matches.”
Adding his voice to the global praise, Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US Special Representative for Afghanistan, lauded the cricketer’s latest success. Khalilzad described Rashid as a “source of pride for Afghanistan” and applauded his “continued excellence on the global stage,” recognizing the spinner’s role in elevating the nation’s profile in international sports.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed that Rashid reached the monumental 700-wicket mark in his 512th T20 innings. The 26-year-old leg-spinner, who made his debut in 2015, has been a linchpin of the Afghan bowling attack and a white-ball specialist. Over 518 T20 matches, he has maintained an astonishingly economical career economy rate of 6.59 and a stellar bowling average of 18.50. His tally includes 18 four-wicket hauls and four five-wicket hauls, with a career-best bowling in an innings (BBI) of 6/17.
Widely regarded as one of the finest spin bowlers of the modern era, Rashid Khan has been instrumental in Afghanistan’s meteoric rise in international cricket. His consistent and devastating performances in major global leagues—such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Big Bash League (BBL), and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL)—as well as in international tournaments, have not only strengthened Afghanistan’s position in the sport but have also cemented his own legacy as a legend of the game. By crossing the 700-wicket threshold, Rashid Khan has once again proven his enduring quality and etched his name indelibly in the record books.
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