The Afghan star, leg-spinner Rashid Khan, has achieved a historic milestone in the ODI format. In the second match of the five-match series against Ireland, he took 6 wickets, conceding only 34 runs. Thanks to his powerful performance, Afghanistan defeated Northern Ireland by a margin of 92 runs.
In the match held at the Bradie Cricket Club in Northern Ireland, Afghanistan scored 299 runs, while Ireland managed only 207 runs in response. Rashid Khan became the first spinner in ODI history to take six or more wickets in a single match three times in his career.
The significance of this achievement can be compared to the records of other successful ODI spinners such as Wanindu Hasaranga, Imram Tahir, Shahid Afridi, Aqila Dandzai, Sandeep Lamichane, and Ajanta Mendis, who achieved a six-wicket haul twice. Rashid Khan is the only spinner to have accomplished this feat three times, and he achieved it in 121 ODI matches.
While pursuing the target of 300 runs, Ireland tried to hold out early in the game, but Rashid Khan's appearance quickly changed the course of the match. Already on the first ball of the 15th over, he dismissed Andrew Balbirnie (36). After that, his spin could not save Harry Tector (5 runs), Benjamin Kalitza (27 runs), Curtis Campher (23 runs), Jay Mundru (3 runs), and Byron McDonough (0 runs). The series of quick dismissals from Khan caused the pace of the running Irish players to drop, and the entire team left the field after 33.2 overs.
Rashid Khan debuted in ODIs on October 15, 2015, against Zimbabwe. About a year and a half later, he took his first six wickets in an ODI match. In March 2017, in Greater Noida against Ireland, he delivered a performance of 6/43. In the same year, against West Indies, he demonstrated his most dangerous spin bowling, taking seven wickets for only 18 runs in Gross-Ailette.
In terms of the number of matches where a player took six wickets for one team, Rashid Khan is equal to former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis. Waqar took six wickets twice against New Zealand, whereas Rashid achieved this for the second time against Ireland. Nevertheless, the overall record for the highest number of six-wicket matches in ODIs still belongs to Waqar, who achieved this feat five times.
Afghanistan scored 299 runs in 47 overs, taking eight wickets. Ireland's target was 300 runs, but Khan's play prevented the team's batsmen from forming significant partnerships. Ajmatullah Omerzai took two wickets, and Fazlhaq Faruqi took one. As a result, the hosts could only reach 207 runs. The third match of the five-match series will take place on August 10 in Belfast.
