Smashing records

After a pathetic performance in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) appointed young leg spinner Rashid Khan as the captain for all three formats.

Rashid was appointed as the vice-captain of the ODI squad in June 2019, during the World Cup.

In the World Cup, Afghanistan ended their campaigns at the bottom of the table without a single win. Rashid, who was the centre of Afghan bowling attack, finished the cup with the worst figures as a bowler among his teammates. He bagged only seven wickets in nine matches and conceded 416 runs, averaging 59.42.

In the match against England, Rashid conceded 11 sixes, most by a bowler in an ODI. These were also the most sixes conceded by a bowler in any international match since 1999.

But in his first assignment as captain, Rashid proved his mettle, not only as the leader but also as bowler. Afghanistan beat Bangladesh comprehensively — by 224 runs — in Chittagong last week.

Afghanistan are not a part of the ICC World Test Championship as only the top nine full member nations are competing in a total of 71 Tests across 27 bilateral series over two years.

Afghanistan will face West Indies in a Test scheduled to begin from November 27 in Dehradun.

With the memorable Test win against Bangladesh, Rashid bagged many record. At the age of 20 years and 350 days, Rashid became the youngest captain in history to lead a side in a Test match. He surpassed Zimbabwe’s Tatenda Taibu, who was 20 years and 358 days old when he led his side against Sri Lanka in Harare on May 6, 2004.

Rashid also became the youngest captain to win a Test. He broke the record of Pakistan’s Waqar Younis, who led Pakistan to a 131-run victory against Zimbabwe at Karachi in 1993-94 at the age of 22 years and 20 days. It was Waqar’s first Test as skipper.

Rashid took 11 wickets and scored a first-innings half century. He is the first cricketer to take a 10-wicket haul and score a fifty on his captaincy debut. He is also the fourth cricketer in history to score a half-century and take a five-wicket haul on his captaincy debut after England’s Sheldon Jackson (1905), Pakistan’s Imran Khan (1982) and Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan (2009).

After the historic win, Rashid wrote on twitter: “What a win don’t have words to describe the feeling. Afghanistan Zindabad.”

Shakib praised his counterpart, saying, “Rashid Khan is a world-class bowler in T20s, although he is new to Test cricket but has shown his ability against us that he can apply his skills to Tests too.”

In June 2017, Rashid took the best bowling figures for an associate team in an ODI. In February 2018, he became the youngest player to top the ICC Player Rankings for bowlers in ODIs.

In September 2018, he became the number one player in the ICC’s all-rounder rankings, after his magnificent performance in the 2018 Asia Cup.

It was Afghanistan’s second Test win in their first three Tests. Afghanistan were awarded Test status in 2017.

In June 2018, Afghanistan lost their maiden Test match against India, by an innings and 262 runs, despite being able to bowl out a strong Indian team in the first innings. Afghanistan registered their first win in their next Test against Ireland, beating them by seven wickets in March this year.

Afghanistan became the second Test side to win two Tests of their first three Test matches. They joined Australia who picked up their second Test victory in their first three Tests in 1879.

Afghanistan all-rounder Muhammad Nabi retired from Test cricket after the match against Bangladesh. Most probably he has taken this decision to prolong his limited overs career.

Bangladesh, who got the Test status in 2000, played their first Test in November 2000, against India in Dhaka.

In 19 years, Bangladesh have played 115 Test matches, won only 13 and lost 86. Their Test victories came against Zimbabwe, West Indies, England, Sri Lanka and Australia. They have lost all three Tests played in 2019 so far.

Khurrams87@yahoo.com