‘It affects you’: Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan calls for shortened Big Bash League

Adelaide Strikers leg-spinner Rashid Khan has joined the chorus of players calling for the Big Bash League to make a change.

Rashid Khan wants the BBL to be shorter. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Cricket superstar Rashid Khan has joined the chorus of players calling for the Big Bash League to be shortened as the T20 tournament’s crowd numbers tumble amid the rising numbers of Covid-19 cases.

On Wednesday evening, Khan stunned the cricket community by claiming 6/17 against the Brisbane Heat, helping his beloved Adelaide Strikers secure a 71-run victory at the Gabba.

It was the Afghan leg-spinner’s best bowling performance in the T20 format, and the third-best bowling figures in Big Bash history.

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As revealed by cricket statistician Kausthub Gudipati, Khan was the first bowler in T20 history to dismiss five batters for a duck in a match. He also became the first bowler to take at least 15 wickets in each of their first five Big Bash seasons.

But Khan’s masterclass was bittersweet for Strikers fans – the 23-year-old flew out of the country the following day for international commitments, leaving the Adelaide-based franchise without their star tweaker for the remainder of the tournament.

Speaking to news.com.au, Khan expressed how disappointed he was having to once again leave the T20 competition prematurely ahead of the finals series.

“It’s a bit long, to be honest,” he said with a laugh.

“I have been here for the last 50 days and we have three games left, then the finals – if we go through – and then international duties come in the middle as well.

“I would love to have it in a month. That allows everyone to be there and stay until the finals and then finish up for the team.

“Especially nowadays with the Covid stuff going on, it does affect you mentally. Being in the bubble, you hardly go out. You’re always in your room, having Uber Eats. It affects you mentally.”

Rashid Khan of the Strikers. Photo by Chris Hyde – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Khan joins a growing list of Big Bash players who have called for the competition to be reduced in length, including by not limited to former Brisbane Heat captain Chris Lynn, T20 World Cup champion Adam Zampa and Perth Scorchers paceman Jason Behrendorff.

“The complaints over the past couple of years have been that it’s started to drag too long, and the big thing for me was having kids and understanding how the schooling timetable works again,” Behrendorff said on SEN Breakfast.

“You want to have your finals before school goes back, because that’s when you’re going to get the bigger crowds, that’s when all the kids can still come.”

Despite the high number of Covid-19 cases within the Big Bash League, which has forced a desperate scramble for replacement players over the past couple of week, Cricket Australia has refused to enforce strict biosecurity protocols.

It’s a delicate balancing act, but ensuring that players enjoy a sense of normality has been prioritised over keeping Covid-19 out of the competition.

“Compared to other leagues, it’s pretty easy and relaxed here,” Khan said.

“We can go have takeaway … you are able to go outside, have a walk, have a bit of fresh air, which is hardly happening in other leagues.

“Hopefully this can be the last BBL with restrictions, and we can get back to the normal life.”

Khan made his Big Bash debut in 2017 and immediately became a fan favourite. He won a BBL title with the Strikers in his maiden season and has since taken 92 wickets for the Adelaide-based franchise, making him the club’s highest wicket-taker in history.

Adelaide has almost become a second home for the 23-year-old.

Rashid Khan celebrates taking the wicket of Jake Lehmann. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“Everyone wants to be here,” Khan said.

“Australia is so beautiful, this competition’s something different, you know?

“While we were watching Big Bash on TV, we had that dream of playing Big Bash, and that dream came true.

“Every player wants to play in this competition, and want to be here in Australia playing Big Bash, especially the players from Afghanistan.

“They’re watching Big Bash, each and every game, back home in Afghanistan.”

Khan is one of the sport’s most celebrated figures – last summer, he was named the ICC Men‘s T20I Player of the Decade despite only making his international debut in 2015.

The talented spinner has taken 103 T20I wickets in 56 matches at 12.73 and an economy rate of 6.20. Nobody with more than 50 scalps in T20 internationals boasts a better bowling average or strike rate than Khan.

His wrong-un is a fiercely dangerous weapon, and it accounted for most of his wickets against the Heat on Wednesday.

Khan found himself on a hat-trick twice at the Gabba, but he couldn’t complete the trifecta on either occasion – regardless, the Afghan phenom considers it to be one of his best performances in the 20-over format.

“That is my best in the whole cricketing T20 career,” he said.

“As soon as I had seen the wicket and bowled a few balls, this wicket is so good.

“As long as I am pitching it in the right areas, I think I can make the batsmen in trouble and give me a few wickets.

“I just tried to bowl tight and got the wickets.”

@rashidkhan_19, you beauty brother. 👏👏👏 Absolutely amazing!!

— Sandeep Lamichhane (@Sandeep25) January 12, 2022

Rashid Khan with a five-fa, on a hattrick with one wicket left to go.

Not a bad way to say goodbye to the Strikers in his last game of #BBL11

— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) January 12, 2022

Before Wednesday’s victory, the Strikers were reeling at the bottom of the Big Bash ladder with two wins from their opening two matches.

But thanks to an uncanny tally of Bash Boost points – five of which came from defeats, the Strikers climbed to fifth on the ladder after the 71-run win.

“This game, this momentum will give us so much energy, so as a team we had a very tough season this year but such wins gives you an energy and that’s the kind of click you need at this stage,’’ Khan said.

“We’ve got the momentum, the kind of momentum we needed and the morale of the team is definitely very high with this win.

“It‘s good to finish up well and I wish all the very best for the rest of the guys, they do well and they go to the finals.”

The Strikers will next face the Perth Strikers at Adelaide Oval on Friday, with the first ball scheduled for 10.40am AEDT. The match will be broadcast live, exclusive and ad break free on Fox Cricket via Kayo.