Rashid Khan achieved this achievement at Gqerberha during MI Cape Town’s Qualifier One matchup with Paarl Royals.
The Star Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan became the top wicket-taker in T20 cricket, surpassing West Indies great Dwayne Bravo. In MI Cape Town’s Qualifier One match versus Paarl Royals at Gqerberha, Rashid achieved this accomplishment. Rashid claimed 2/34 in his four overs throughout the game, taking out Dinesh Karthik and Dunith Wellalage while defending 200 runs. Rashid has now taken 633 wickets at an average of 18.07 in 461 Twenty20 matches, with his best numbers being 6/17. In his career, he has claimed four five-wicket hauls.
After taking three five-wicket hauls in his 18-year-old T20 career, Bravo has collected 631 wickets at an average of 24.40, with best figures of 5/23. He has also won numerous golds for the West Indies and other teams.
The spin all-rounders Sunil Narine of the West Indies (574 wickets in 536 wickets at an average of 21.60, with best figures of 5/19), Imran Tahir of South Africa (531 wickets in 428 matches at an average of 19.99, with best figures of 5/23) and Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh (492 wickets in 444 matches at an average of 21.49, with best figures of 6/6), are the next two T20 greats.Paarl Royals decided to field first going into the game.
With an outstanding 87-run opening partnership in just 9.2 overs, the opening batsmen Ryan Rickelton (44 off 27 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and Rassie van der Dussen (40 off 32 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) set the stage for the commanding 199/4.
MI Cape Town was reduced to 91/3 after the Royals mounted a minor comeback, taking three wickets for a total of just six runs.
However, George Linde’s three sixes in his 14-ball 26 helped the table-toppers regain the upper hand.Dewald Brevis (44 not out off 30 balls, with four sixes) and Delano Potgieter (32 not out off 17 balls, with four boundaries and a six) added 74 runs in the final five overs as a result of the Royals losing their discipline after Dayyaan Galiem was forced out of the attack by a couple of waist-high full tosses.
With Mitchell Owen and Lhuan-dre Pretorius scoring 21 runs off Trent Boult’s opening over, the Royals got off to a strong start in their run-chase.
However, Kagiso Rabada swiftly ended Pretorius’ brief appearance (15 off six balls, with two fours and a six).With just skipper Miller providing any opposition with a 26-ball 45 that included four boundaries and a six, the Royals were unable to muster any momentum after that. Dinesh Karthik, a batsman and wicketkeeper, also made 31 runs in 28 balls, including five fours.
MI Cape Town celebrated further when captain Rashid Khan defeated Royals all-rounder Dunith Wellalage to surpass West Indian icon Dwayne Bravo as the top wicket-taker in T20 cricket.Potgieter was named the ‘Player of the Match’.
The Royals will have another chance on Thursday in Qualifier 2 at Centurion, while MI Cape Town will go directly to the final on Saturday against the Wanderers.
