Rashid, who is just four wickets away from becoming the first bowler to reach 700 wickets in T20 cricket, joked during the pre-match press conference that he is instead hoping to push the mark much further.
“Hopefully, we will make it to 7,000,” he said with a smile.
Afghanistan, who shocked the cricketing world in the previous edition by beating heavyweights such as New Zealand and Australia en route to a historic semifinal finish, will look to recreate that success when they begin their campaign against New Zealand in Chennai on Sunday, under conditions far more familiar to their spin-heavy attack. Rashid currently leads the T20 wicket-taking charts with 696 wickets in 515 matches, averaging 18.49, with 18 four-wicket hauls and four five-fors, remarkable numbers for a bowler who is still only 27.
Reflecting on the impending milestone, Rashid said personal records have never driven him.
“I’ve only played around nine or ten years of international cricket, and to be the leading wicket-taker in T20S is more than a dream,” he said. “But I never counted my wickets. I only came to know through the media – 400, 500, 600. I don’t really think about it much.”
“What matters to me is bowling in tough situations, when the team needs wickets. That’s what keeps me focused. Seven hundred wickets is not something small. It takes a lot of time and hard work, and I’m blessed and very happy to be close to it.”
‘Tags Don’t Matter, What Happens on the Field Does’
With Afghanistan no longer viewed as minnows after recent high-profile victories, Rashid was also asked whether his side still considers itself an underdog. The Afghan skipper dismissed such labels as irrelevant. “We don’t talk about these things at all,” Rashid said. “Sometimes you perform, you become number one. When you don’t, you become number ten. It all depends on what you do in the middle.” “For me, these tags are just media stuff. As long as you’re committed, giving 100 per cent on the ground, that’s what matters. Even if you lose, people will see the effort, and that is more important.”
Rising Expectations for Afghanistan
Rashid acknowledged that Afghanistan’s recent success has naturally led to higher expectations, citing victories over New Zealand and Australia in the T20 World Cup, South Africa in T20Is, and England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the 2023 ODI World Cup. “Twelve years ago, you wouldn’t have thought Afghanistan would reach a World Cup semi-final,” he said. “Back then, just participating was the biggest thing.”
“Now it’s not about participation anymore. We have enough skill to beat any team. But you have to be strong mentally and physically, and you have to put in the effort on the ground.” As Afghanistan prepare to take on New Zealand once again, Rashid’s words underline a side that no longer measures itself by reputation but by performance.
