Rashid Khan scripts history; becomes first bowler to take 200 T20I wickets

Afghanistan’s star spinner Rashid Khan created history during the second T20I of the three-match series against Zimbabwe at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on Thursday, October 29, as he became the first bowler in T20I cricket history to reach the 200-wicket mark.

 

Rashid started the game with 199 wickets to his name. Bowling in the second innings, Rashid dismissed Zimbabwe’s wicketkeeper-batter Tadiwanashe Marumani (2 runs off 5 balls) on the third ball of the ninth over to reach the historic milestone.

 

Rashid’s 200th wicket has now put him 29 wickets clear at the top of the highest wicket-takers list in T20Is, ahead of England’s Adil Rashid, who has 171 wickets to his name.

 

 

Highest wicket-takers in T20I cricket:

 

Rank	Player	Team	Span	Mat	Inns	Wickets	BBI	Average	Economy	Strike rate	4-wicket hauls	5-wicket hauls
1	Rashid Khan	AFG/ICC	2015–2026	120	120	200	5/3	14.06	6.14	13.73	9	2
2	AU Rashid	ENG	2009–2026	153	146	171	4/2	23.42	7.56	18.58	4	0
3	Ehsan Khan	HKG	2016–2026	119	116	165	5/26	15.38	6.11	15.08	8	1
4	Ish Sodhi	NZ	2014–2026	142	135	165	4/12	23.01	8.16	16.92	4	0
5	Tim Southee	NZ	2008–2024	126	123	164	5/18	22.38	8.00	16.78	2	2
6	Wanindu Hasaranga	SL	2019–2026	101	99	163	4/9	16.23	7.09	13.73	5	0
7	Mustafizur Rahman	BAN	2015–2026	130	129	163	6/10	21.14	7.38	17.19	3	2
8	Adam Zampa	AUS	2016–2026	118	115	153	5/19	20.34	7.35	16.59	5	1
9	Shakib Al Hasan	BAN	2006–2024	129	126	149	5/20	20.91	6.81	18.42	6	2
10	Mitchell Santner	NZ	2015–2026	141	136	149	4/11	23.24	7.17	19.44	4	0
11	Arshdeep Singh	IND	2022–2026	102	98	149	5/51	20.50	8.65	14.22	2	1
12	Rizwan Butt	BHR	2022–2026	97	96	148	6/9	15.86	6.75	14.10	4	4
13	Sandeep Lamichhane	ICC/NEP	2018–2026	80	79	142	5/9	12.88	6.12	12.61	3	2
14	Mark Adair	IRE	2019–2026	100	100	142	4/13	19.80	7.82	15.19	4	0
15	Virandeep Singh	MAS	2019–2026	131	109	141	5/14	13.24	5.31	14.95	4	1
16	Shem Ngoche	KEN	2010–2026	120	116	136	4/14	16.94	5.73	17.72	3	0
17	Shaheen Shah Afridi	PAK	2018–2026	103	103	136	4/22	21.35	7.83	16.34	3	0
18	Ali Dawood	BHR	2023–2026	85	85	135	7/19	13.63	6.02	13.58	7	2
19	Haris Rauf	PAK	2020–2025	94	92	133	4/18	21.10	8.38	15.10	5	0
20	Jasprit Bumrah	IND	2016–2026	100	97	126	4/15	18.21	6.52	16.74	1	0

Rashid also shines with bat

Rashid Khan, before entering the record books with his bowling in the second innings, also put on a crucial show with his bat in the first innings. After being reduced to 38 for 5 batting first, Afghanistan’s innings was rescued by Azmatullah Omarzai (116 runs off 50 balls) and Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai (52 runs off 27 balls).

 

However, it was Rashid Khan (25 not out off 6 balls) who provided the strong finish for the hosts. Rashid, in the 20th over of the innings bowled by Kundai Matigimu, hit four sixes off the five balls he played to help Afghanistan finish the innings with a strong total of 221 for 7 on the board.

 

The value of Rashid’s final-over fireworks can be understood from the fact that Afghanistan scored 25 runs in the final over and won the match by just 19 runs. 

Afghanistan seal the series with a match to spare

Afghanistan clinched the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe with a match to spare after registering a thrilling 19-run victory in the second T20I in Sharjah. The hosts recovered from a disastrous start, with Azmatullah Omarzai smashing a sensational 116 off 50 balls to help Afghanistan post 221/7 after being reduced to 38/5.

 

Omarzai shared a match-defining 142-run sixth-wicket partnership with Ijaz Ahmadzai, who contributed 52 off 27 deliveries. Rashid Khan then provided the late impetus with four sixes in the final over to push Afghanistan past the 220-run mark.

 

Zimbabwe's chase began with promise but quickly lost momentum as they slipped to 82/5. Rashid added another milestone to his career, becoming the first bowler to reach 200 T20I wickets during the collapse. However, captain Sikandar Raza refused to give up, producing a magnificent unbeaten 100 to keep Zimbabwe in contention.

 

He found valuable support from Tafadzwa Tsiga, who remained unbeaten on 31 as the pair stitched together an unbroken 120-run sixth-wicket stand. Despite Raza's remarkable effort, Zimbabwe could only manage 202/5, falling 19 runs short. Omarzai's explosive century and Afghanistan's recovery from early trouble ultimately proved decisive.