Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan etched his name in the record books during a T20I tri-series clash against the United Arab Emirates in Sharjah on Monday, September 1. The star leg-spinner surpassed former New Zealand pacer Tim Southee to become the leading wicket-taker in T20 internationals.
At just 26 years old, he also set a new benchmark by reaching the milestone in only 98 matches, the fastest ever. Rashid achieved the feat with a brilliant spell of 3/21 from his four overs. He went past Southee’s tally by dismissing Dhruv Parashar, while his other victims were Ethan Dsouza and Rahul Chopra.
Highest wickets in T20Is:
- Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) – 165 wickets in 98 matches
- Tim Southee (New Zealand) – 164 scalps in 126 matches
- Ish Sodhi (New Zealand) – 150 wickets in 126 matches
- Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) – 149 wickets in 129 matches
- Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh) – 142 wickets in 113 matches
Notably, Rashid Khan is the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket. The spin ace has claimed 661 wickets across 488 matches, including 158 wickets in 136 IPL games.
Highest wickets in T20s
- Rashid Khan – 661* in 488 matches
- Dwayne Bravo – 631 in 582 games
- Sunil Narine – 591 in 560 games
- Imran Tahir – 559 in 438 games
- Shakib Al Hasan – 503 in 459 games
Rashid Khan’s Afghanistan Triumphs Over UAE By 38 Runs In Tri-Series Opener
Afghanistan produced a commanding all-round performance to defeat the UAE by 38 runs, kicking off their 2025 Asia Cup preparations on a high. Batting first, Afghanistan posted 188/4 in 20 overs, with Ibrahim Zadran leading the charge with 63 off 40 balls, including four sixes and three fours.
Sediqullah Atal also impressed, contributing 54 off 40 deliveries, as the pair shared an 84-run partnership for the second wicket. For the UAE, Muhammad Rohid Khan and Saghir Khan claimed two wickets each. In reply, the UAE could manage only 150/8 in their 20 overs.
Captain Muhammad Waseem fought valiantly with 67 off 37 balls, hitting six sixes and four fours, while Rahul Chopra added an unbeaten 52 off 35 deliveries. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan and Sharafuddin Ashraf took three wickets each to seal the win. Afghanistan will next face Pakistan in the Tri-series in Sharjah on Thursday, September 4.
In the 2025 Asia Cup, they are in Group B alongside Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka, opening their campaign against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, September 9.
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