Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has entered the record books by becoming the first bowler to take 700 wickets in recognised T20 cricket, a landmark achievement that cements his status as one of the format’s all-time greats.
The milestone came during Afghanistan’s T20 World Cup clash against the United Arab Emirates at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday.
In the 16th over of the UAE innings, Rashid dismissed batter Muhammad Irfan in an unusual manner. Attempting a reverse sweep, Irfan lost his balance and accidentally dislodged the bails, resulting in a hit-wicket dismissal - a fittingly dramatic way to reach such a historic landmark.
Rashid had been just shy of the record after Afghanistan’s previous match against South Africa, where he took two wickets to reach 699. True to his focused approach, the Afghan skipper’s celebration was understated; he remained committed to the team’s immediate objective of securing Super Eight qualification.
This achievement puts Rashid far ahead on the all-time T20 wicket-taking charts. His nearest competitor is former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo with 631 wickets, while the closest active player is Sunil Narine with 613. In T20 Internationals specifically, Rashid leads with 191 wickets, surpassing New Zealand’s Tim Southee (164) and Ish Sodhi (162).
Despite the historic nature of the milestone, Rashid remained grounded. Ahead of the South Africa match, he said, “I didn’t set a goal to stop at 700 wickets. When I play for the country in the World Cup, my 100 per cent effort is to take wickets according to the team’s needs.”
Rashid Khan’s extraordinary consistency and skill across domestic leagues and international T20 cricket have made him a trailblazer for Afghanistan cricket, inspiring a generation of young bowlers in his country and around the world. The 700-wicket landmark is not just a personal triumph but also a testament to his enduring impact on the global T20 game.
