RASHID KHAN made his ODI debut for Afghanistan a few months after his country made its debut in the World Cup in Australia, in 2015. His team is ranked No. 10 in the world and gets fewer opportunities to play top-ranked teams. Nevertheless, Rashid has played in various T20 leagues, including the Indian Premier League and the Big Bash League in Australia. He also played county cricket for Sussex last year. In his short journey so far, he has earned the respect of the best players worldwide. Currently, he tops the list of T20 bowlers in the world.
Afghanistan’s maiden World Cup was all about getting there and soaking in the experience. This time, however, the team aims to do more than that, and Rashid is being looked upon as the one to spearhead the campaign. In an interview with THE WEEK, Rashid talks about his expectations of himself and his team. Edited excerpts:
Legends like Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting, and leading batsmen from other countries rate you as the most dangerous leg spinner in the world now.
It gives you a lot of energy and motivation when others think of you like that. If I had not played in the Indian Premier League, I would not have known how to plan for these batsmen, because we hardly play against the top teams in international cricket.
I do not feel that it is tough to play against me. I tell myself that anyone can pick me so that there is no overconfidence.
How do you see the role of slower bowlers, especially leg spinners, in the World Cup?
Leg spinners have more variations. They work hard on those. It is quite difficult to hit them in any condition—be it flat wickets or slow ones. In the World Cup, the wickets will be dry and helpful for us.
You have the experience of playing county cricket.
It was my first experience playing in the UK. I took around 18 wickets. I was getting help from the wickets. I hope we get the same type of wickets during the World Cup.
Your thoughts on English conditions.
I think it will be a big test for batsmen. We did well in Asia Cup [2018] because we batted well. If we do the same, hopefully, we will get good results in the World Cup.
How do you see your role as Afghan vice captain in the World Cup campaign?
The World Cup is a big event. As a team we need to give 100 per cent and show the world that this time we are here to perform. We need to focus on winning games rather than just playing big teams. Our experience will be tested. How we control our nerves in a big event. Definitely me, [Mohammad] Nabi and Mujeeb [Ur Rahman] will play a big role, because we have played in the IPL against players who will be in the World Cup.
You had criticised the selectors’ decision to replace Asghar Afghan with Gulbadin Naib as the Afghan skipper for the World Cup.
Whatever happened, we have overcome. I had spoken out that it was not the right time to change the captain. But as a player, I do not think about who is leading or who is not there in team. My job is to play positive and play the main role in the team. I am not against any player.
