World Cup 2019: Pakistan fans cheer Rashid Khan after Afghanistan lose, ask him to play PSL

The cricketing world had expected the 2019 World Cup to be his. But ace Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan failed to deliver on the expected lines. The bowler has managed to pick only five wickets in eight outings so far, giving birth to the question of whether his success has been limited to lesser opponents. In one of the matches in this tournament, Rashid had even gone for 110 runs in nine overs (versus England), scripting his name as the most expensive bowler in the history of the quadrennial event.

Rashid failed to check runs against Pakistan

Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib also expressed his disappointment over Rashid’s form. He expected that his premier bowler will show his class in the match against Pakistan at Headingley on Saturday but it was not to be. Though Rashid took a wicket in the game, he also leaked runs towards the end to allow the opponents to run away with the game.

He even conceded a six to tail-ender Wahab Riaz in the penultimate over of the game when Pakistan required 16 off 11 runs. However, the fans were not yet ready to dump Rashid. Although the Pakistan fans found themselves at loggerheads with their Afghanistan counterparts at the venue on Saturday, they did not forget to cheer Rashid after the match.

As the Afghanistan team left the stadium after a disappointing three-wicket loss, Rashid was found by the Pakistani leaders who took selfies, cheered him and even invited him to play in Pakistan Super League. Rashid plays in franchise cricket, including the Indian Premier League, in different countries over the year.

Rashid, who has the record of being the fastest bowler to capture 100 wickets in the ODIs, appeared in the World Cup for the first time. But it was a forgettable experience for him as Afghanistan has failed to win a single game so far. They came very close to winning against India and Pakistan but the lack of the killer punch saw them finishing the second best.

With the loss against Pakistan, Afghanistan also owned the dubious record of losing most number of consecutive games at the World Cup, worsening the record of Zimbabwe who had lost seven on the trot in 1992. Afghanistan will wrap up their horror run in World Cup 2019 with the game against West Indies at Headingley in July 4.