Afghanistan’s star spinner Rashid Khan has expressed his delight at the growing number of Afghanistan players featuring in the Indian Premier League (IPL), highlighting it as a sign of the sport’s development in the country. In 2017, Rashid became the first Afghanistan player to play in the IPL when he joined Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Since then, several Afghan cricketers have graced the tournament, including spinner Noor Ahmed, star all-rounder Mohammed Nabi, all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai, and 18-year-old spinner Allah Ghazanfar, who was acquired by Mumbai Indians (MI) in this year’s IPL mega auction.

Currently representing the Bengal Tigers in the 2024 Abu Dhabi T10 tournament at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Rashid expressed his excitement about the increasing representation of Afghan players in the IPL.

“It is great news for Afghanistan cricket to have more players in the IPL, the biggest league in the world. It’s just the beginning for the players back home. It’s encouraging to see how they are carving out spaces for themselves. This reflects the growth of Afghanistan cricket, and I am so happy and excited to see them compete in the tournament,” he said.

Rashid, who has delivered consistent performances in the last two matches for the Tigers, acknowledged the challenges of the T10 format for spinners but emphasised the importance of accuracy.

“T10 is undoubtedly a difficult format for spinners. Batters are constantly looking to attack, and the new ball makes it hard to generate a turn. However, it’s crucial to bowl in the right areas and give your best effort.

“The boundary size and the pitch can offer some support, and if you have the skills, you can succeed. Sometimes, it takes just one good delivery to dismiss a batter,” he added.

The Bangla Tigers have won two of their four matches in the tournament and are set to face Ajman Bolts on November 27 in their next fixture.

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