Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has become the first bowler to claim 200 wickets in men’s Twenty20 internationals, reaching the landmark during Afghanistan’s second T20I against Zimbabwe in Sharjah on Thursday, October 29.
The leg-spinner brought up the milestone when he trapped Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batter Tadiwanashe Marumani lbw for two in the ninth over, as Zimbabwe chased a target of 222. Afghanistan went on to win the match by 19 runs, posting 221 for 7 before holding Zimbabwe to 202 for 5, sealing the series.
A record built on consistency
Rashid reached 200 wickets in his 120th T20 international. The 28-year-old’s record in the format includes an average of 13.96 and an economy rate of 6.13, with two five-wicket hauls and best figures of 5 for 3, according to Reuters.
That longevity at the top of the format’s bowling charts is striking: Reuters puts him well clear of the next man on the all-time men’s T20I wicket-takers’ list, England’s Adil Rashid. The milestone also follows another landmark from last year, when Rashid became the first Afghanistan bowler to reach 200 ODI wickets, during a match against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi in October 2025.
Omarzai’s century sets up the win
The record arrived on a night when Afghanistan’s batting had first needed rescuing. The hosts collapsed to 38 for 5 before Azmatullah Omarzai transformed the innings with 116 from just 50 balls, including five fours and 12 sixes.
Omarzai shared a 142-run sixth-wicket stand with Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, who made 52 from 27 balls, and Rashid himself finished the innings in style, striking an unbeaten 25 from six balls, including four sixes. Zimbabwe’s reply never quite kept pace despite reaching 202 for 5, and Afghanistan closed out a 19-run victory.
Why it matters
Two hundred wickets in the shortest international format is a mark no men’s bowler had reached before, and Rashid has done it while remaining Afghanistan’s central bowler across formats and franchise leagues alike. For a team that has grown from associate status into a regular presence at global tournaments, the record is also a measure of how long Rashid has carried its attack — and how durable his leg-spin has proved against batting line-ups built to attack it.
What happens next
Afghanistan will look to build on the series win, with Rashid now chasing the next round number in a format where he already stands alone. The immediate question is less about the record itself — it is his outright — than about how much further he can stretch a lead that no other active men’s bowler is close to matching.
FAQ
Who was Rashid Khan’s 200th T20I victim? Zimbabwe’s Tadiwanashe Marumani, trapped lbw for two in Sharjah.
In how many matches did Rashid reach 200 T20I wickets? His 120th T20 international.
What was the match result? Afghanistan won by 19 runs, 221 for 7 against Zimbabwe’s 202 for 5.
Sources
- Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/sports/cricket/afghanistans-rashid-becomes-first-mens-player-claim-200-t20i-wickets-2026-10-29/
- Republic World (ANI): https://www.republicworld.com/sports/afghanistan-s-rashid-khan-creates-history-becomes-first-bowler-to-take-200-wickets-in-men-s-t20is-in-sharjah-2026-10-29-139979
- CricCatch match report: https://www.criccatch.com/news/match-report/omarzai-century-lifts-afghanistan-to-19-run-win-over-zimbabwe
- Cricket World: https://www.cricketworld.com/afghanistan-clinch-series-with-a-spectacular-turnaround-against-zimbabwe-in-2nd-t20i/114094.htm
