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'Paise ki takat hi esi hai'- Fans react as Rashid Khan opts to play in upcoming BBL season

Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan has opted to play in the 2023-24 Big Bash League (BBL) season. He said he will be available for BBL.

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Rohit Kumar
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Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan (Source- Twitter)

Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan has opted to play in the 2023-24 Big Bash League (BBL) season. He reversed his earlier decision to boycott the competition. The No.1 T20I bowler was dissatisfied with Cricket Australia's (CA) decision to forfeit a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan last year, amid the Taliban's decision to ban university education for girls in the country.

According to cricket.com.au, the leg-spinner has informed the BBL officials about his intention to participate in the seventh edition of the tournament. Spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmed, and Izharulhaq Naveed are some of the other notable players from Afghanistan who have put their names in for the upcoming season.

Rashid Khan available at BBL 

Rashid Khan has played for the Adelaide Strikers over the last six seasons and has shown his love for the city and fans on numerous occasions. With the Strikers having the second pick in the upcoming BBL draft on September 3, it is believed that they will again pick Rashid. He is expected to be available until his departure for the T20 league in South Africa, where he will feature as MI Cape Town's captain.

Following CA's decision to not play against Afghanistan in the scheduled ODI series, Rashid Khan left the 2022-23 BBL season midway. At the time, he took to Twitter saying, "I am really disappointed to hear that Australia have pulled out of the series to play us in March. If playing Afghanistan is so uncomfortable for Australia, then I wouldn't want to make anyone uncomfortable with my presence in the BBL. Therefore, I will be strongly considering my future in that competition."

He first made his name in the BBL, at 19 years of age, when he was the leading wicket-taker in 2017-18, claiming 18 wickets to help the Strikers to their first title. He has 98 wickets the most of any overseas player, while an average of 17.51 and an economy rate of 6.44 are also the best of any bowler, with more than 30 wickets. With World Cup and other events this year BBL has been shortened.

Here's how fans reacted: 

Rashid Khan