Rashid Khan continues to strengthen his position in Twenty20 cricket

Sharjah: Rashid Khan has once again underlined why he remains the heartbeat of Afghanistan cricket, guiding his side to a 38-run win over UAE while etching his name in the Twenty20 international record books.

The 26-year-old leg-spinner became the highest wicket-taker in T20Is, overtaking New Zealand’s Tim Southee, as his 3-21 dismantled UAE’s chase in Sharjah on Monday. His tally of 165 wickets in just 98 matches not only reaffirmed his stature as the format’s leading bowler but also highlighted his longevity in a role where consistency is rare.

For Rashid, however, the achievement was less about personal milestones and more about clarity of execution. “To keep things simple is important for me,” he reflected after the match. “The right length is the key. Batters might hit you for boundaries, but if you bowl in the right areas, you get the right results.”

Afghanistan’s innings had been set up by half-centuries from Ibrahim Zadran (63) and Sediqullah Atal (54), while late flourishes from Karim Janat and Azmatullah Omarzai lifted them to 188-4. UAE captain Muhammad Waseem briefly threatened to take the game away with a blistering 67 off 37 balls, but Rashid’s intervention swung the contest back.

The Afghan skipper was equally keen to stress the balance of his side, particularly in spin selections. With Noor Ahmad and Nangeyalia Kharote waiting in the wings, Rashid admitted that decisions were tough. “You cannot have three or four spinners,” he said. “Sharaf was chosen for the batting ability he brings. Noor and Ghazanfar are magicians too, but we had to keep the balance.”

What will encourage Afghan fans most, however, was his praise for the batting unit. “I felt so happy with the mindset of Ibrahim and Sediq. They went through the tough time and didn’t give away wickets. Later on, the others finished well. That’s an area where we struggled in the past.”

With a rematch against Pakistan looming on Tuesday, Rashid framed the earlier defeat to their neighbours as a wake-up call. “Such games take time to adjust. Bring your best game, and then see who wins.”

For Afghanistan, led by the game’s premier T20 spinner, belief seems to be growing stronger with every outing.