Rashid Khan names the Indian and Pakistan cricketers who've inspired him

Rashid Khan’s meteoric rise in world cricket has enthralled one and all. At a tender age of 19 years, the leg-spinner from Afghanistan has already played 101 T20 matches and has picked up 148 wickets. More importantly, the tweaker has an economy rate of under six runs per over, which is a testament to the potential of the young turk.

The Nangarhar-born player has arguably been Afghanistan’s gun bowler in international cricket. He is currently playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League where he has racked 13 wickets in 10 games. The batsmen have strained against his bag of tricks and as a result, Rashid has been able to dictate terms to them more often than not.

I still watch videos of Afridi and Kumble

The cricketer draws inspiration from Shahid Afridi, the former Pakistani all-rounder, and Indian legend Anil Kumble as well. Kumble and Afridi weren’t the kind of bowlers who gave the ball much air and rather preferred to hurry the batsmen with their trajectory and pace. They were neither big turners of the ball but found great success in what they did. Though Rashid extracts more from the pitch he bowls quick through the air like the two legendary spinners.

“I have watched a lot of Afridi and Anil Kumble because both of them were quick in the air and were accurate. I still watch some of their videos,” Rashid was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

“I was a huge fan of Afridi growing up. He was from the tribal area that stretches across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. I watched him, studied him. I loved his enthusiasm, the way he attacked the batsman. I knew that had to be my attitude if I wanted to be successful,” the leg-spinner has said in an earlier interaction with the media.

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