Rashid Khan eyeing 1,000 T20 wickets, names top spells of short format career

Johannesburg [South Africa], February 8 (ANI): Afghanistan star spinner Rashid Khan, currently representing MI Cape Town in SA20, said that becoming the leading wicket-taker in T20s gives him a lot of satisfaction and is aiming to touch the 1,000 wicket-mark in the format.
Rashid was speaking ahead of the SA20 final between MI Cape Town and two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC). During the ongoing league, he overtook West Indies legend Dwayne Bravo to become the top wicket-taker in the shortest format of the game with 633 scalps. He accomplished this feat during MI Cape Town's Qualifier One match against Paarl Royals at Gqerberha.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Rashid said that becoming the top-wicket taker in T20s gives him "incredible satisfaction".
"Especially when I look at my career, it is not that long, where I feel like, say I played 15-20 years and this record has been broken and it is under my name now. It is just nine years. And that is how long DJ Bravo held that record for (eight years). But it is a massive, massive achievement for me because if I look back in 2014-15, I never ever thought that I will play T20 Internationals and (franchise) leagues all around the world. I never ever had that in my mind. I will only try my best to continue (growing) and make it as bigger as possible," he said.
Rashid said that he spoke to Bravo after his record was broken and the West Indies legend was extremely happy that the Afghanistan star overtook him.
"He was so happy and said: "(I know) you are the one who (would) break this record. You totally deserve all this." He has always been very supportive and we had some great times and in (2024) T20 World Cup as well when he was Afghanistan bowling coach," he added.
On taking 1,000 T20 wickets, Rashid said that it would be massive to reach there and if he expressed confidence that if he manages to stay fit for at least three and the half years more, he could get there.
"That is the target (breaching the 1000-wicket barrier). It is going to be massive to get 1000 wickets. Yeah, if I am fit and I am doing well, that is something which will be a biggest achievement to take: 1000 wickets in T20s. And I can only just think about it, how good it would be and how it will be to have those four digits of wickets. That is something which is going to be unbelievable. But yes, hopefully, hopefully I am fit. I feel like if I continue to play the cricket I have been playing next three-and a-half-to-four years, I feel like I can get there," said the spinner.
Speaking on his top spells from his T20 career, Rashid named three spells, with the first one being the spell of 4/23 against Bangladesh in last year's T20 World Cup while defending 115, which helped his side seal a spot in semifinals for the first time ever. His two other spells were from the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Big Bash League (BBL).
"Yes, I got four wickets against New Zealand (4 for 17) as well in the same World Cup, but that was different game and this was different game. Against Bangladesh, I am defending only 115, which was a tough situation hence I felt that is why this is a little bit higher. Another is against KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) in IPL 2018 in Qualifier 2 (3 for 19) which totally changed the game. The other I got 6 for 17 for Adelaide Strikers in BBL because bowling in Australia is something harder," he added.
He also called Afghanistan reaching the semifinals of T20 WC last year, where they lost to South Africa, as one of the "biggest moments of my career".
"And I still feel and I still think about that match. How we were (so) near to the final, we could have played the final. I still feel so bad whenever I remember that day that I thought if it was a better wicket, both teams could have done much, much better and it would've been one of the best games for us as a team. You know that ground (in Tarouba), we came two, three times for practice and we cancelled the practice because of the wickets. (ANI)