Knee injury curtails spinner Rashid Khan ahead of Australia clash

Australia needs a massive win against Afghanistan to boost their T20 World Cup semi-final hopes and an injury blow could help their cause.

Afghanistan's Rashid Khan is under an injury cloud. Picture: Patrick Hamilton / AFP

If anyone was going to be able to spin their way through an Australian batting line-up in Adelaide it would be Rashid Khan.

But the Afghan wizard is battling both a back and knee issue ahead of Friday’s showdown with the defending champions where Australia’s semi-final hopes go on the line.

England’s win over New Zealand at the Gabba on Tuesday has left the Aussies needing to not just take down Afghanistan in their final pool game, and in a big way to boost their net run rate, but also relying on upsets in other games.

Should Ireland defeat New Zealand or Sri Lanka take down England, the reigning champions would progress.

But Australia has to get over Afghanistan, which is winless in four games, albeit with two washed out, and Khan returning o Adelaide where he has become a superstar in the BBL with the Strikers.

No international bowler has taken more than Khan’s 61 wickets, in just 61 games, but Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott had to concede his magic man wasn’t at full capacity for the clash after hurting his knee against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

“I think he just jarred his knee,” Trott said after his team lost to Sri Lanka.

“He also had a bit of a back issue coming into the World Cup, so that’s just flared up again. I think he’ll be okay.

“Hopefully, no serious injuries is what I’m trying to say.”

Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi checks on injured Rashid Khan. Picture: Patrick Hamilton / AFP

Khan has only taken three wickets in the tournament so far, bute Afghanistan boasts other bowlers with BBL experience including Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi.

While Trott was conscious that could help his team, he also knows there’s few surprises in T20 cricket anywhere in thew world now with so much exposure for players in various leagues.

“I think the case with a lot of players, the likes of Mujeeb and Nabi, who have played against the Australian players before, it helps for sure,” he said.

“I think yesteryears, when nothing was perhaps known of players, but nowadays there‘s so much analytics of the game and analysis of things but also very various franchises now that players get to play with various players or against them quite often.

“I think whatever outfit Australia put out was going to be strong. Let’s not kid ourselves. It’s always going to be a tough match.”

Originally published as Knee injury curtails spinner Rashid Khan ahead of Australia clash