BAN vs AFG: Afghanistan captain and ace leg-spinner Rashid Khan has etched his name in the history books by becoming the leading wicket-taker in T20I Asia Cup history, overtaking India’s swing maestro Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The milestone came during Afghanistan’s Group B clash against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup 2025 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
True to form, Rashid delivered another disciplined spell, finishing with figures of 2/26 in his four overs. The 26-year-old spin wizard now has 14 wickets in 10 Asia Cup T20I matches, averaging 18.00 with best figures of 3/22. Bhuvneshwar, who previously held the top spot, now sits second with 13 wickets from six games, though with an impressive average of 9.46 and best figures of 5/4.
Rashid’s dominance over Bangladesh in T20 cricket has been nothing short of remarkable. In 12 T20I outings against them, he has bagged 24 wickets at a stunning average of 10.75, striking every 11.5 balls, while maintaining an economy of just 5.60, exceptional numbers in the shortest format.
Despite Rashid’s brilliance, Afghanistan couldn’t completely stifle the Bangladeshi batting line-up. Bangladesh posted a competitive 154/5 after a well-paced innings that started strong but fizzled slightly towards the end. The opening duo of Saif Hassan (30) and Tanzid Hasan (52) laid a solid foundation with a 63-run stand, putting Afghanistan’s bowlers under early pressure.
However, once that partnership was broken, Afghanistan’s spin quartet – Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Nabi, and Allah Ghazanfar began tightening the screws. Captain Litton Das struggled to find rhythm, and despite being well-positioned at 87/1 after 10 overs, Bangladesh couldn’t fully capitalise.
Towhid Hridoy chipped in with a useful 26 off 20 balls, while Nurul Hasan added a quick 12 off 6 deliveries* to give Bangladesh a final push past 150.
While the game still hangs in the balance, Rashid Khan’s individual brilliance has once again made headlines – reaffirming his status as one of the greatest T20 bowlers of all time.
