Rashid Khan unavailable for Boxing Day Test against Zimbabwe (Source: by Md Manik/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Afghanistan are set to play a two-match Test series against Zimbabwe starting on Thursday, December 26. They will look to dominate the hosts in the longer format and carry on their consistent run from the ODIs and T20Is.
The Afghanistan team has had a great couple of series in Zimbabwe winning the T20I series 2-1 and whitewashing them in the three-match ODI series. The two teams will be starting the series in the Queen Sports Club in Bulawayo on the 26th of December which will be another Boxing Day Test.
However, one of the stars of the Afghanistan team, Rashid Khan will be unavailable in the Boxing Day Tests as per reports. One of the officials of the Afghanistan Cricket Board(ACB) has said that the Afghanistan T20I skipper is away for a charity event.
“He (Rashid) is away for a charity event for 1st test as far as I am aware,” said the official.
Rashid Khan’s injury return and red ball stats
Rashid Khan has recently missed out on some cricket due to his back injury and this was also the reason he missed the Test series against New Zealand as well. His availability in this upcoming series was also looking tough but in the end, the ACB had announced him in the 18-man squad.
Speaking of his stats in red-ball cricket Rashid might have not played a lot of Test or first-class cricket but still boasts of some incredible stats. He has taken 34 wickets in the five Test matches he has played and is averaging only 22.35. He has four five-wicket hauls and two 10-wicket hauls in the format as well. It is safe to say that Rashid can be an asset in any format he features in.