Afghanistan star, Rashid Khan has been roped in by the Adelaide Strikers for the seventh edition of Big Bash League, the club announced earlier today. Rashid Khan becomes the first Afghanistan player to join this T20 league in Australia.
The 18-year-old spin sensation had a good stint with the ball in both the India Premier League and Caribbean Premier League earlier this year. In his maiden tournament in India, he bagged 17 wickets and had bamboozled the best batsmen of the world with his variations. He also became the first bowler ever to register a hat-trick in the Caribbean Premier League.
In a club statement, the leg-spinner said, “I am very happy to have signed with the Strikers for the BBL. It is a huge honor to be a part of such a great tournament and even more of an honor to be the first Afghanistan player to participate on the BBL stage. I look forward to linking up with my Strikers teammates and backroom staff.”
Former Australia pacer and current coach of Adelaide Strikers Jason Gillespie termed Rashid’s signing as a ‘major coup.’
In an interview earlier today, he said, “Rashid has set the world alight in T20 cricket with his energy, enthusiasm, and great control for a young guy. He has some great variations, can bowl stump-to-stump and can be very hard to pick. We”re delighted to be able to offer him the opportunity to play for the Adelaide Strikers.”
Get HYPE #strikeforce, one of the most dangerous turners in T20 cricket is coming down under ➡️ https://t.co/b0Wh8M209q
Welcome Rashid! pic.twitter.com/4QgDWrgyJS
— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) September 14, 2017
Rashid becomes the second overseas player for the Strikers and the dashing hard-hitter Collin Ingram from South Africa.
The Afghanistan cricketer has taken the cricketing world by a storm with his accurate line and length and variations. He has represented Afghanistan in 29 One-day Internationals picking up 63 wickets with the best figure of 7 for 18.
Current squad: Wes Agar, Alex Carey, Jono Dean, Ben Laughlin, Jake Lehmann, Michael Neser, Peter Siddle, Billy Stanlake, Jake Weatherald, Colin Ingram (overseas), Rashid Khan (overseas)