Chennai: Rashid Khan paid tribute to his great teammate Mohammad Nabi after the 20-year old picked up the Player of the Match award in Afghanistan’s 224-run win over Bangladesh in Chattogram.
In his first game as captain, Rashid Khan starred as Afghanistan picked up their second victory in Test cricket in just their third outing in the format; no team has picked up their first two victories in quicker time.
It was no surprise that Rashid picked up the Player of the Match award. He made pivotal contributions with both bat and ball as he became the youngest captain to lead a side to a Test match victory.
In the first innings, his quick-fire 51 helped propel Afghanistan to a competitive total of 342. With the ball, he was outstanding. He ended with match figures of 11/104, the best figures recorded by an Afghanistan cricketer in Test cricket.
After the game, Rashid dedicated his award to Nabi, who retired from Test cricket after the game at the age of 34, although he will continue to play white-ball cricket for his country. “The legend Nabi, who has played his last Test, has helped me and other young spinners a lot,” said Rashid. “I wish him all the best and I want to dedicate my Player-of-the-Match award to him.”
The young Afghanistan captain was also keen to heap praise on his teammates and coaching staff. He said: “The credit goes to the players, supporting staff. The camp we had in Abu Dhabi was in the hottest weather I have ever been and then you come here; compared to that, it looked easier out here. It was a total team effort. The youngsters are learning very quickly, and especially we have a good four-day structure at home. That’s the best thing done by the cricket board.”