Afghan Captain Rashid Khan Reaches 700 T20I Wickets Milestone Against UAE

Rashid Khan Arman, captain of Afghanistan's national cricket team, became the first bowler in history to reach 700 wickets in T20I cricket during the 2026 T20 World Cup match against the United Arab Emirates.

The milestone wicket came in the 16th over when Rashid dismissed UAE's Mohammad Erfani with a hit wicket. Entering the match with 699 wickets after taking two in the previous game against South Africa, Rashid had bowled 3.2 overs without a wicket, conceding 17 runs, before Erfani attempted a reverse sweep, missed the ball, and dislodged the stumps.

Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bowl first in the third group-stage match, held at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, India, at 10 a.m. Kabul time on Monday. The team, needing victories over UAE and Canada to advance from Group D, faces heightened pressure after a narrow loss to South Africa. That game ended in a 187-187 tie after 20 overs, with South Africa prevailing 4 runs in the second super over after the first also tied at 17 runs each.

According to Cricinfo, Rashid has long led the all-time T20I bowling list, ahead of retired Dwayne Bravo's 631 wickets and active player Sunil Narine's 613. He also tops Afghanistan's T20I wickets with 191, followed by New Zealanders Tim Southee (164) and Ish Sodhi (162).

Rashid showed little emotion after the wicket, focusing on the team's need for a win. Prior to the South Africa match, he said, "700 wickets or any achievement continues. I've never set a goal to stop at a specific number. When playing for the national team in the World Cup, I always give 100 percent, and I take wickets whenever the team needs them."

Despite a back surgery in 2023 affecting his form, Rashid recently took five wickets for 51 runs in 12 overs against Vistandiz and one for 36 against New Zealand in Afghanistan's World Cup opener, which New Zealand won chasing 182.