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.
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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.
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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.