Rashid Khan is a thorough entertainer when he bats. Be it his strokeplay or his general antics, there is never a dull moment. Something similar was on view during the Asia Cup encounter against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Thursday (September 18). The Afghanistan captain walked out to bat with his team struggling at 79/6 and added a 35-run stand with Mohammad Nabi, of which Rashid contributed 24.
Rashid's innings consumed 23 balls, which meant a much lower strike-rate than he is usually known for. However, his partnership with Nabi ensured that Afghanistan didn't crumble to a paltry total. Once Rashid departed, veteran Nabi took it upon himself to ensure a phenomenal finish to the innings. As many as 49 runs came off the last two overs with the final over going for 32, including five sixes in a row. Dunith Wellalage, who bowled the 20th over, was in danger of conceding six sixes in the over but managed to escape as the final ball went for just two runs. While those two overs were of peak entertainment, Rashid ensured a moment of comedy before leaving the field.
The 18th over of the Afghanistan innings, bowled by Nuwan Thusara, started with a sensational slower ball yorker that deceived Rashid completely. He was well early into the slog sweep that he was attempting, thereby copping a deflection on his bent back thigh, before trickoing onto the stumps. As soon as the ball hit the stumps, Thusara was up in appeal for LBW turning towards the umpire, not realising that the ball had hit the stumps. Rashid also wasn't aware and started to review as he thought the umpire had given the LBW when in reality, he was only pointing to Thusara that the batter had been bowled already.
It was one of those rare cases where both the batter and bowler were appealing for what was a bowled dismissal. Once Thusara and Rashid saw the LED stumps having lit up, they were both in smiles, as were the other Lankan players and the two on-field umpires. Rashid had survived a close LBW shout in the previous over against Dushmantha Chameera, with DRS detecting an inside edge to save the Afghanistan captain. That luck didn't last long for Rashid as he perished three balls later but not before chipping in with a useful knock for Afghanistan.