Rashid Khan confirmed as third overseas star in Sharks Vitality Blast squad

Sussex Cricket is thrilled to announce that Rashid Khan will return to The 1st Central County Ground for the 2022 Vitality Blast.

This will be the Afghan leg-spinner’s fourth spell with the Sharks, where he has taken 26 wickets in 23 appearances since his debut in 2018.

He will join Travis Head and Mohammad Rizwan as one of three overseas players in the Sharks’ T20 squad next season to maximise availability in the event of international call-ups or COVID-19 related disruption. Teams are permitted to play a maximum of two overseas players per match. 

Already the fourth highest wicket-taker in T20 history at just 23 years old, Rashid’s 403 dismissals in 292 matches have come at an average of 17.6 with an economy rate of just 6.36 runs per over. An increasingly destructive batter, Rashid strikes at 143.97 runs per 100 balls.

After committing once again to Sussex, Rashid said: “I have always enjoyed my time at Sussex and am more determined than ever to try and help bring the T20 Blast title back to Hove.

“The squad will look a little different this season with some key players having moved on but the youngsters coming though impressed me greatly in recent seasons and combined with some new faces I think it is a really exciting time to be a Sharks fan.”

Sussex’s T20 Head Coach, James Kirtley, commented: “It is hard to come up with something original to say about Rash. He’s the best in the business and we are truly lucky to have him. It is great to know we have developed a long-standing relationship with the best T20 spinner in the world and not to forget his dynamic batting which we witnessed against Yorkshire in last year’s quarter final.

“It will be amazing to have his services for the majority of the T20 Blast along with our two other overseas players. This puts us in an enviable position of being able to react to the ever-changing landscape of international cricket.

“Rash is an outstanding person and his positive effect on our environment was so obvious last summer. The immediate care and mentoring he showed Archie [Lenham] showed the real class of the person. For any Star Wars fans: ‘Always two there are. No more. No less. A master and an apprentice.’”

“I am so looking forward to seeing Rash back at Hove I know he has unfinished business and is very keen to win the competition with Sussex.”