Afg vs SA – A shot at history kept Rashid Khan on the field despite thigh problems

“I picked up a thigh injury, I had the same a month before, pretty unlucky, but I did my best to stay on the pitch until the end, did my best to do as much as I could for the team,” Rashid said after the overwhelming 177-point victory was sealed in Sharjah. “A big opportunity for us as a team, you know, to win the series against a big team and that was my thought: my contribution will be key, so I have to go there and keep going until the end.”

Rashid has struggled with injuries of late. A hamstring injury forced him to sit out the last week of the Hundred in August before returning home to play in Afghanistan’s domestic T20, the Shpageeza Cricket League, and suffering back pain. He then missed the one-off – botched – Test against New Zealand. In fact, this ODI series is his first cricket in either of the two longer formats since the 2023 ODI World Cup in India in November last year. After that World Cup, Rashid underwent back surgery and was then sidelined for four months.

On Friday, Rashid’s 26th birthday, he was at bat when his hamstring problem resurfaced. He ran two balls when he was out in the 47th over and needed immediate attention from the physio. He continued to bat, however, and finished the game with six not out off 12. Would he come out to bowl again, though?

“We had a big chance to win a series against South Africa and I think the love of the game just drives you to play no matter how (difficult) it is and I thought I can play, I can bowl, I can stay on the field until the end, why not, I should give it a go,” Rashid said. “The physio also did a good job to get me ready and perform for the team.”

Afghanistan had another injury concern that evening: Half-centurion Rahmat Shah left the field in the 21st over because he appeared to have cramps. As it turned out, this was also a problem with his thigh muscles. However, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi hoped that it was not too serious.

“I spoke to him, he is good inshallahmaybe he’ll play the next game,” Shahidi said at the post-match presentation. “But I think he wasn’t well before either, he tore his thigh. Hopefully he’ll be OK and can play the other game.”

Afghanistan won the series 2-0 but have a third match to play on Sunday, also in Sharjah. After that they will have a short break because – as it looks – their next cricket match is an all-format tour of Zimbabwe in December/January.

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