'My brothers would defend easily..'- Rashid Khan credits sibling rivalry for developing speed and quick wrong 'uns

Star Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan will be the key for the side heading into the eagerly anticipated ICC Cricket World Cup in India. The Hashmatullah Shahidi-led side will kickstart their campaign against Bangladesh at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on October 7.

Ahead of the marquee event, Rashid opened up about how he has made variations to his bowling over the years.

"My speed, my quick wrong 'uns all developed playing at home. If I bowled like a normal wrist spinner it would turn slowly -- my brothers would defend easily. I had to do something different, so I developed variations," Rashid was quoted as saying by The Daily Star.

Selectors first took notice of the 25-year-old leg spinner as he was a hard-hitting batter who could also bowl, much like his idol, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi.

"Afridi is one player who has fans all over the world. Check his record, he doesn't have many centuries, but whenever he arrived he would hit four, five, six sixes... entertain and leave," he added.

Meanwhile, Rashid's potential in domestic competition was being talked about by Nawroz Mangal, Afghanistan's first international captain, who recalled the then-coach Inzamam-ul-Haq saying that 'what a player Rashid is.'

"Pakistan great Inzamam-ul-Haq was our coach in 2015 and when he saw Rashid he was like 'What a player he is', and got him selected on the tour of Zimbabwe," said Mangal. 

Rashid's debut World Cup in 2019 was a forgettable one as he picked up only six wickets in nine games, all of which Afghanistan lost, on unresponsive British pitches. At Old Trafford, he conceded 110 runs in nine overs against England, including 11 sixes, the most-ever off a bowler in the 50-over format. However, he feels that the more spin-friendly Indian pitches would allow him the opportunity to excel, and he hopes that he can motivate the future generation.

"If you work hard and believe in yourself, you can reach wherever you want to," said Rashid, who now has 172 ODI wickets with a best return of 7-18 and a miserly average of 19.53. It's a good example for all those youngsters who have just started," the 25-year-old added.