- Rashid Khan becomes the first bowler to take 200 wickets in men’s T20Is. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan rewrote international T20 history at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium by dismissing Zimbabwe’s Tadiwanashe Marumani and reaching the 200-wicket mark in his 120th pearance.
- Rashid Khan (Photo by Prakash Singh/) At Sharjah Cricket Stadium during Afghanistan’s 19-run win over Zimbabwe in the second T20I, Rashid Khan etched his name in cricket history by becoming the first bowler in men’s T20 Internationals to take 200 wickets.
- The historic dismissal came when he dismissed Zimbabwe keeper-batsman Tadiwanashe Marumani for two runs, a moment that came on Rashid’s 120th T20I pearance.
Rashid Khan becomes the first bowler to take 200 wickets in men’s T20Is. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan rewrote international T20 history at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium by dismissing Zimbabwe’s Tadiwanashe Marumani and reaching the 200-wicket mark in his 120th pearance.
Rashid Khan (Photo by Prakash Singh/) At Sharjah Cricket Stadium during Afghanistan’s 19-run win over Zimbabwe in the second T20I, Rashid Khan etched his name in cricket history by becoming the first bowler in men’s T20 Internationals to take 200 wickets. The historic dismissal came when he dismissed Zimbabwe keeper-batsman Tadiwanashe Marumani for two runs, a moment that came on Rashid’s 120th T20I pearance. This feat puts Rashid in a class of his own.
The leg-spinner made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2015, making it logical that the same opponents were present when he completed that historic double century of wickets. The game itself produced a high scoring Afghan round. The team struggled early on, losing five wickets for just 38 runs before Azmatullah Omarzai and Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai combined to save the innings with a 142-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Omarzai was the dominant force, hitting 116 off 50 balls, an innings containing 5 fours and 12 sixes. Ijaz contributed 52 off 27 balls and hit 5 fours and 3 sixes. Rashid himself contributed a late 25 not out in just 6 balls, including 4 sixes, helping Afghanistan to a score of 221 for 7 in their 20 overs, setting Zimbabwe a target of 222 runs.
For Zimbabwe’s bowling attack, Kundai Matigimu and Brad Evans took two wickets each while Sikandar Raza, Ernest Masuku and Vincent Masekesa took one wicket. Despite a formidable record, Zimbabwe managed to fight hard and win the game until the end. Skipper Raza was at the forefront and scored a brilliant unbeaten 102 off 56 balls but his efforts ultimately went in vain.
How did Rashid Khan reach the 200-wicket mark? Rashid Khan’s journey to 200 T20I wickets is based on sustained excellence over more than a decade in international cricket. He made his debut against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2015 and has since become Afghanistan’s strongest bowler in the shortest format.
His average of 11.05 with the ball in T20 Internationals reflects the consistency with which he has taken wickets throughout his career, a figure that ranks among the best in the history of the format. Rashid’s dismissal of Marumani during the chase against Zimbabwe sealed the historic moment at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, a venue that has hosted many Afghanistan home games over the years. However, his scalp was his only wicket of the game as he finished with figures of 1 for 29 in four overs.
Where does Rashid Khan’s record stand among T20I bowlers? No bowler in the history of the men’s T20 International had previously reached 200 wickets before Rashid Khan achieved the feat in October 2026. The closest challenger in the list is England’s Adil Rashid, who has taken 171 wickets in 153 matches, leaving a g of 29 wickets between the two.
The Afghan spinner reached his milestone in 30 fewer pearances than it took Adil Rashid to reach his tally, a testament to the speed at which Rashid Khan has taken wickets throughout his career. The third T20I will be played in Sharjah on November 1. The Afghan team has taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series and will look to secure a shutout.
