'Don’t Think There Would be Any Kind of Pressure': Rashid Khan on Leading MI Cape Town in SA20

MI Cape Town skipper Rashid Khan said that the captaincy responsibility is not going to put any extra pressure on him in the inaugural season of the SA20 league. The Afghanistan spin maestro is the only non-Proteas captain in the new South African T20 franchise tournament. The Cape Town franchise is owned by Reliance Industries Limited, who are the owners of five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians.

Ahead of the tournament’s opening match, Rashid suggested that he has experience captaining the Afghanistan side in the past and which is going to help him.

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“I don’t think it’s going to be extra pressure on me. I’ve led Afghanistan in some games and I think, that experience will always be there,” Rashid said in the press conference.

The leg-spinner also suggested that being part of the leadership group in the IPL franchise Gujarat Titans also helped him improve his decision-making.

“And also, being a vice-captain in the IPL for Gujarat also helps you as a player as well and also being involved in some kind of decision as well. So, I don’t think there would be any kind of pressure,” he said.

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Recently, Rashid was also appointed as the new captain of Afghanistan for the T20I format. Rashid replaces senior off-spin all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, who stepped down from the role post the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

The Afghan spinner said that it’s important to give 100 per cent on the field irrespective of the capabilities they have.

“It’s just that you make sure that you enjoy your game. Whatever capability you have, just give your 100 percent. There’s excitement about learning a lot of things as a captain and it will also make me a better cricketer. So, looking forward to that,” he added.

Rashid has so far represented Afghanistan in 74 T20I matches and has 122 scalps to his name in the format, which makes him the third leading wicket-taker in the format behind New Zealand pacer Tim Southee (134) and Bangladesh left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hassan (128).

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