ICC honour for Sussex Sharks star

Sussex’s Vitality Blast overseas superstar, Rashid Khan, has been named as the ICC’s Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade.
Rashid Khan takes a wicket for the Sharks in 2019 / Picture: Sussex CricketRashid Khan takes a wicket for the Sharks in 2019 / Picture: Sussex Cricket
Rashid Khan takes a wicket for the Sharks in 2019 / Picture: Sussex Cricket

The Afghan leg-spinner was nominated for the award alongside Australia’s Aaron Finch, West Indies’ Chris Gayle, India’s Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga and South Africa’s Imran Tahir.

Since his T20I debut in October 2015, Rashid has taken 89 wickets in 48 matches with an average of just 12.62 and has an incredible economy rate of 6.14 runs per over.

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The 22-year-old has also played some blistering innings from the lower-middle order and has captained his country in seven T20Is.

Rashid first joined Sussex Sharks for the 2018 Vitality Blast and returned in 2019.

The global pandemic forced him to miss the 2020 campaign, but he has signed for the 2021 competition.

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The other ICC player of the decade winners are Virat Kohli (men’s overall and men’s ODI), Steve Smith (men’s Test) and Ellyse Perry (women’s overall, women’s ODI and women’s T20I).

Rashid was clearly delighted with the accolade and said: “I am speechless after this award and happy for the fans. For someone from Afghanistan to get this award, it’s a special moment for me.”

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