Rashid is the best out there says Simmons
RASHID Khan has been hailed as the world’s best leg-spinner by Afghanistan coach, Phil Simmons.
Khan took the fourth best international one-day figures in history in St Lucia on Friday, claiming 7-18 as the West Indies were skittled for 149.
That left the men from the Caribbean licking their wounds and Afghanistan rejoicing at an historic victory that has put them well and truly on the one-day map.
According to Simmons, it should also have led to Khan appearing large on county radars, particularly in the shorter formats.
“I would be surprised if some of them aren’t looking at him, why wouldn’t they?” he tells The Cricket Paper.
“He’s the best spinner I’ve worked with, no doubt about that. He might not be the best I’ve ever seen because I played against the likes of Abdul Qadar and Shane Warne, but he’s up there with anyone at the moment.
“Look at his record, it’s exceptional. He has taken wickets wherever in the world he has played. No-one looks entirely comfortable playing against him.”
That, in no small way, is a result of the pace Khan bowls, with his leg-spinners often being delivered at speeds approaching 65mph.
This adds an extra dimension to Khan’s game, minimising the time batsmen have to adapt to his variations.
It has led to comparisons with India’s Anil Kumble, a bowler who took 619 Test wickets.
Simmons, though, believes Khan is potentially the more complete bowler.
“It’s the pace he bowls at him that makes him so deadly,” says Simmons.“He keeps working on things, on making sure that day-by-day his variations are getting stronger.
“To read him at that pace is always going to be difficult.You imagine Kumble at his pace, and I think having faced Kumble, Rashid might even be a bit quicker than him.
“Kumble never really turned it much, he got most of his wickets with his bounce. Rashid turns both his leg-break and his googly and they turn a lot. He has three weapons in his armoury and they’re all very, very dangerous.
“The more he plays and the more exposure he gets at the highest level, the better he’s going to get. It’s hugely exciting.”
Afghanistan’s win against the West Indies on Friday has provided another enormous shot in the arm for cricket in the country, while also dealing a massive blow to the West Indies chances of qualifying automatically for the World Cup.
That, though, is no longer a concern for Simmons, who left his job as West Indies coach back in September, and is now intent on establishing Afghanistan in world cricket’s top ten.
“Cricket is the thing that lifts everyone in Afghanistan,” says Simmons.“It has been awesome to work with these players because they have a great work ethic. They have a really positive attitude – they want to win every time.
“Friday was funny. It was like we had more support than the West Indies going into the final few overs. To win here away from home against the West Indies is huge from an ICC ranking point of view.What it does to the West Indies, I’m not too sure.”
With Khan in their ranks, there could be plenty more success to come.