Rashid Khan Shatters Records, Joins Exclusive White-Ball Club
Afghanistan’s spin maestro Rashid Khan has once again etched his name into the annals of cricket history, achieving a series of remarkable milestones during the first ODI against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi. The leg-spinner became only the second player ever to claim 200 wickets in both One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), a feat that underscores his dominance in white-ball cricket.
The historic moment occurred on October 6 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. Rashid’s first wicket of the match, that of Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz, was his 200th in ODI cricket. This achievement not only completed his legendary “double” but also made him the very first cricketer from Afghanistan to reach 200 wickets in any single international format. He went on to dismiss Jaker Ali and Nurul Hasan, finishing with impressive figures of 3 for 38 in his 10 overs, playing a crucial role in restricting Bangladesh to a total of 221.
This dual-format milestone places Rashid in an exceptionally rare category, joining New Zealand pacer Tim Southee as the only other cricketer to have accomplished this feat. It highlights his status as one of the most consistent and impactful bowlers of the modern era and the undisputed backbone of Afghanistan’s bowling attack.
The accolades didn’t stop there. In reaching his 200th ODI wicket, Rashid also surpassed the legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne to become the second-fastest spinner ever to reach the landmark. Only Pakistan’s Saqlain Mushtaq, who achieved the feat in just 104 matches, reached it faster. When measured by innings across all bowlers, Rashid now ranks as the fifth-fastest overall, trailing only Saqlain, Mitchell Starc, Mohammed Shami, and Trent Boult.
While a valiant partnership between Mehidy Hasan Miraz (60) and Towhid Hridoy (56) helped Bangladesh post a competitive score, the day belonged to Rashid Khan, whose record-breaking performance has once again solidified his legacy as a cricketing great.