700 and Counting: How Rashid Khan Reached a Historic T20 Milestone

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has officially become the first cricketer in history to claim 700 wickets in T20 cricket. He reached this monumental milestone during a high-stakes T20 World Cup 2026 match against the UAE.

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The 27-year-old spin bowler hit the mark at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Monday. He dismissed Muhammad Arfan to become the most successful bowler in the history of the shortest format. This record puts him far ahead of all other players.

A Historic Strike in New Delhi

Rashid Khan started the match against the UAE with 699 career wickets. The 700th wicket finally came in the 16th over as the UAE batter Muhammad Arfan tried a reverse sweep but lost his balance. He hit his own stumps and was out ‘hit-wicket.’ Rashid is usually very loud when he celebrates, but this time, he stayed calm and focused on the game. He wanted to make sure Afghanistan won the World Cup match.

As noted by ANI News, Rashid’s dominance is staggering: "Afghan spinner is way ahead of any other cricketer in terms of wickets in the shortest format. Retired West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo is in second place with 631 wickets." Rashid reached this number in fewer matches than other top players. His career average is a very low 18.51, which shows how hard it is for the best batters to score against him.

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Impact of Rashid Khan’s 700 Wickets on the Sport

Rashid Khan’s success changes how teams find new players. Over the next six months, teams will look harder for young leg-spinners. They want to find the next star who can bowl like him. Rashid’s record makes him the most valuable player in the world. Apart from that, this milestone also puts pressure on the ICC to give Afghanistan more matches.

In a recent interview, as reported by The Times of India, Rashid Khan said: "We play an international game in Afghanistan and then all these people will see how people back home... are enjoying cricket and that’s something which is more than a dream."

Rashid Khan is a leader who changed the game of T20 cricket. He is only 27 years old and has already reached the impossible - a living inspiration for all young cricketers.

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