The workload, the schedule of franchise-based leagues is immense. It is difficult for Rashid Khan to find time to talk to his family. He has six brothers and four sisters, and he tries to get in touch with his family whenever he finds time. His brothers – and nephews – were the ones with whom he had grown up, playing cricket, outdoors, indoors, bowling about 25 overs a day.
The time difference is manageable when he plays in India or England. Not so much when he plays in Australia or the West Indies. But Rashid plays everywhere. And Rashid calls home from everywhere. He makes time. Time zones bow to him.
As a juggernaut marches through Afghanistan, one city after another surrenders. But Rashid, one of the top draws in The Hundred, continues to do what he does best.
Back home, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani resigns. His palace is taken over. Hundreds, perhaps thousands try to flee Kabul by air. Some die. Horrific videos get shared across social media.
Away from home, Afghans are scared of their friends and families back home. Some of them remember the previous regime. Some are too young for that. But all of them know. They have grown up on these tales. They understand. And most of them fear.
Rashid comes on to bowl at Trent Bridge. He has already tweeted a plea to world leaders. He has tweeted again, asking for support for the Rashid Khan Foundation, who are providing essentials to the ones affected – of whom there are many.
The ongoing war in Afghanistan has led to humanitarian crisis. Please support @RashidKhanFund & @Afghan_cricketA emergency online fundraiser to provide basic essentials to those affected by the conflict. Link below ⬇️ https://t.co/6AoUdDABty
— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) August 10, 2021
A third tweet has just one word: Peace.
And now Rashid takes field.
The outfield is wet. It is a night match. After 40 balls, the Manchester Originals have raced to 70/1.
Rashid strikes first ball. Phil Salt tries to sweep, and the top edge goes to short fine leg. Two balls later, Rashid traps Colin Ackermann leg-before with a googly. He then catches Tom Lammonby at long on, off Steven Mullaney. He yorks Carlos Brathwaite. His figures read, in The Hundred’s unique format, 6-9-3. The Originals slump to 75/5.
Rashid has turned the match on its head. He finishes with 20-15-3. The Originals never recover.
You’re the BOSS @rashidkhan_19 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/cAdmAXD9C2
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) August 16, 2021
Rashid now has 12 wickets, the joint most in the tournament. A wicket every 13 balls, at a mere 1.32 runs per ball. He has scored 44 runs too, at a strike rate of 169. These are phenomenal numbers.
Since debut, Rashid has borne pressure few will be able to comprehend. Not only his family, but all of Jalalabad has followed his performance. Perhaps all of Afghanistan has.
And Afghanistan is unrelatable to most of us. We have heard and read about the Afghan cricket team, we have watched them play. We love them. But we often do not quite fathom the significance of their spectacular rise through the ranks, what it means to a country ravaged by violence.
The pressure Rashid had to bear was immense, but through all that, he has found solace in those calls to his family.
The calls are not the same anymore.
But if there is pressure, it does not show on the field. It never has.
*
We often use the word ‘character’ while describing an outstanding cricketing performance. It may be a spectacular counterattack or a dour, resilient grind; or a devastating burst of fast bowling or a day-long display of quality wrist-spin.
While commendable, these are acts cricketers practise over years, in nets, in club matches, at domestic level. The added pressure of international cricket is undeniable, but an on-field performance is almost always the product of long hours of preparation, through practice and planning.
Cricketers prepare themselves for on-field pressure. This is what they do for a living. They are outstanding at what they do.
Rashid Khan did not prepare himself for what he is going through. Nobody should be.
We use superlatives too lightly in cricket. Perhaps it is time to save them for the Rashid Khans.
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