Rashid Khan steps down as Afghanistan’s T20 captain

Cricket phenom Rashid Khan announced his decision to step down as Afghanistan captain minutes after the squad reveal.

Adelaide Strikers all-rounder Rashid Khan has stepped down as captain of Afghanistan’s T20 side ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Minutes after the Afghanistan Cricket Board announced its 18-player squad for the T20 tournament, Khan released a statement on social media claiming selectors had not consulted him before the announcement.

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“The selection committee and ACB has not obtained my consent for the team which has been announced by ACB media,” the 22-year-old wrote on Twitter.

“As the captain and responsible person for the nation I reserve the right to be part of the selection of the team.

“I am taking the decision of stepping down from the role as the captain of Afghanistan T20 side effective immediately.”

Khan’s decision is another major blow to new ACB interim chairman Azizullah Fazli, appointed following the Taliban’s takeover last month.

Rashid Khan has represented the Adelaide Strikers since 2017. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Veteran wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad, who has not played international cricket since the 2019 World Cup, was recalled along with experienced paceman Dawlat Zadran and Hamid Hassan.

Media reports suggested Afghanistan veteran Mohammad Nabi would replace Khan as skipper for the T20 tournament, which is scheduled to get underway in the United Arab Emirates and Oman on October 17.

Khan’s decision comes less than 24 hours after Cricket Australia announced it would have “no alternative” but to cancel the historic Test match scheduled for Hobart in November if reports of the Taliban’s ban on women’s sport prove accurate.

In 2017, Afghanistan became the only full member of the ICC to have received that status without having an operational women‘s team in place.

But the Asian nation now runs the risk of having its full member status removed, with the ICC confirming the Taliban’s reported ban would be discussed in the near future.

Rashid Khan resigns as Afghanistan T20 capt.. Mohammed Nabi swiftly appointed in his place. Not much going smoothly atm. https://t.co/f1xRJeRFBJ

— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) September 9, 2021

#WT20 Selection Chaos has now reached Afghanistan.

Afghanistan's Captain Rashid Khan has stepped down immediately from his position claiming that his consent was not obtained when announcing the team for the mega event.

ACB has announced several nearly retired players in squad.

— Israr Ahmed Hashmi (@IamIsrarHashmi) September 9, 2021

Khan has represented Afghanistan in 51 T20 matches since his international debut in 2015, claiming 95 wickets at an impressive average of 12.63.

Last year, the ICC named Khan the Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade.

Afghanistan squad for T20 World Cup: Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wkt), Karim Janat, Hazratullah Zazai, Gulbadin Naib, Usman Ghani, Naveen-ul-Haq, Asghar Afghan, Hamid Hassan, Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Najibullah Zadran, Dawlat Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Shapoor Zadran, Mohammad Shahzad (wkt), Qais Ahmadsh

– with AFP