Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif said Afghanistan’s talismanic all-rounder Rashid Khan is a bigger cricketer than Wasim Akram.
“Rashid has brought Afghanistan on the map, he has helped them get recognition,” Rashid Latif said Hasna Mana Hai, a talk show on Geo News.
“He is greater than Wasim Akram.
“I am sorry to say but Rashid’s stature is bigger,” he said.
The 56-year-old, who has played 37 Tests and 166 ODIs for Pakistan feels Rashid now must improve Afghanistan’s Test team.
Afghanistan’s captain Rashid Khan reacts after the nine wicket loss to South Africa in their men’s T20 World Cup semifinal cricket match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tabago. (PTI Photo
“I have only one piece of advice for Rashid Khan. ‘Improve your test team and play more Test matches against Pakistan,’” he said.
Afghanistan will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against South Africa on February 21 in Karachi, followed by matches against England and Australia.
However Afghanistan have suffered an injury blow as off-spinner AM Ghazanfar has been ruled out of both the ICC Champions Trophy and the IPL due to a lower back fracture that will keep him on the sidelines for at least four months, the country’s cricket board announced on Wednesday.
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Ghazanfar sustained the injury during Afghanistan’s tour of Zimbabwe late last year, sidelining him for “at least four months”.
“AM Ghazanfar has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy due to a fracture in the L4 vertebra (located in the lower back), specifically in the left pars interarticularis,” the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) posted on ‘X’.
“He sustained the injury during Afghanistan’s recent tour of Zimbabwe and will be sidelined for a minimum of four months, remaining under treatment during this period,” it added.
Afghanistan squad for Champions Trophy
Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Ibrahim Zadran, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Fareeh Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Nangeyalia Kharote, Naveed Zadran, Noor Ahmad.