RASHID KHAN T20I PLAYER OF THE DECADE CONTROVERY: ALL QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Leg spinner from Afghanistan winning T20I Player of the Decade Award ahead of big performers in T20I like Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, Malinga has created a quite huge controversy. Here is a little analysis answering the questing being raised about the decision.

ICC Awards of the Decade has raised quite a few questions, though most of them being about Team of the Decade selection, the biggest of the lot has come from the selection of the T20I Player of the Decade. The Afghan leggie Rashid Khan being handed this award brought a huge wave of criticism and troll from the analysts, cricket lovers and even legends of the game. Let us talk about some major questions from Cricket fans around the world.

Fans’ question: How can ICC give the award to Rashid Khan!

Well, this version of ICC Decade Awards introduced the fan poll for every award. Along with fan votes, Hall of fame members’ vote and ICC Committee members’ vote also counted in the selection of winner. Well, more than likely, Fans’ vote has outnumbered the other votes. So most probably, it’s cricket lovers like us who have selected Rashid as the winner of the award. And as we all know, be it the biggest franchise T20 tournament IPL or other hugely followed T20 leagues like Big Bash or Caribbean Premier League, Rashid has put up outrageous performance everywhere, thus making a wide spread fanbase around the world. So, though the award is only for International crickets, you can’t say surely that their love and inclination has not come to the table while voting. Another little possibility being, someone somewhere hasn’t wanted to give all the awards to the batters, let us talk about that later.

Fans’ question: Universe Boss is the last statement in T20. Then why not him?

Ok, here I have something to point out. A large part of fans asking this; and this shows what may have gone Rashid’s way. Chris Gayle has been the biggest advertisement of T20 cricket throughout the last decade, no doubt about that. Unearthly achievements and records to back his weight there. Well, though he has hit a six once every 10 balls faced in T20s or his 47 ball 100 in T20 WC 2016 is the fastest by a man at the tournament, his International T20 records may be called very good but not impeccable to win him the award. In the last 10 years, he has scored just near 1000 runs in his 32 international matches with a average not even more than 30. Even except the 47 ball 100* in T20 WC 2016, in which his team went on to be crowned the champion, he contributed just 13 runs in the rest 3 innings finishing with only 113 in 5 matches, averaging 37.67. So, fans going crazy about him not winning the award actually shows how much our thoughts are dominated by franchise cricket whenever we hear T20.

Fans’ question: Just how can Virat not win this award!

Well, to be honest, not much to argue about it. Virat has simply been phenomenal in T20Is in this decade and very few can deny that has most likely been the best cricketer in T20Is of the Decade. He was the leading run scorer of the Decade in Men’s T20I with 2794 runs, keeping an unbelievable average of 50.80. He has also scored the most run in T20 world cup matches counting to 777 with the average of 86.33, that’s humongous. Kohli won the player of the tournament award in both of the latest two versions of T20 World Cup. So, it was absolutely surprising that they didn’t went for Virat, I must admit that.

Fan’s question: If a bowler, then why not Malinga?

One of the fiercest bowler in all formats, in T20 too. Picked up 5 wickets in 5 matches in T20 WC 2014 with an economy of 8.45 where he wore the winners’ medal of the tournament, more importantly, played a very important role in the final against India. Yorker-king of his generation, still surely comes to many batsmen’s nightmare. But is his decade stat good enough to win him the award? Throughout the last 10 years, he has just picked up 72 wickets in 201.5 over which he bowled economy being nearly 7.5. Not bad obviously, but compared to Rashid? Rashid has been playing for just 5 years and picked 89 wickets in just 182 over with an economy of only 6.18. Average and Strike rate both being near to 12. 5 four wicket howls for him. Just unbelievable stats.

Fans’ question: Most of Rashid’s wicket came against small teams. Has they even any value?

Sorry, but yes, they surely have value. 34 of his wickets have come against Ireland and 12 against Bangladesh, 9 against West Indies, 13 against Zimbabwe; not that much small teams though. Talking about giants, he has played just 3 matches, 1 each against England, Sri Lanka and South Africa. Only the match against South Africa among them where he did bowl badly. 4.0-0-27-1 at 6.75 against Sri Lanka, 4.0-0-17-2 at 4.25 against England. In T20 WC 2016, he took 11 wickets in 7 matches being the 2^nd highest wicket taker of the tournament.  And to judge the value of his wickets you also need to keep in mind the team he plays for. Just except Nabi, he doesn’t get that much support from other bowlers, though Mujeeb has helped about that later on to a good extent. But the most important point is that he hardly gets good runs on the board to play with. So, his wickets also count.

Coming to Rashid Khan:

Year: 5   Match: 45   Over: 182.0   Maiden: 1   Run: 1124   Wicket: 89

4WI: 5   Best: 5/3   Average: 12.63    Strike Rate: 12.27    Economy: 6.18

Record talks for him. He is currently sitting at the top of the International T20 ranking. And his number of total days at the top of ranking is not quite small. And talking about impact, he has been the banner of Afghanistan cricket ever since he have arrived, Afghan cricket was ascending obviously before he came but he brought the team to what calls real limelight, has been the youngest captain ever in the whole cricket history. He is who showed their team that they also can fight anyone keeping eye to eye. A brilliant fielder too. And yep, ask any batsmen around the world, which current bowler they will not at all love to face in T20Is, most of them will name either him or may be Bumrah. And whatever we say, we all know, it’s just because they don’t get matches against big guns, or he will have surely done great against them too. Just wait for next T20 world cup.

So, yes, you surely can say that Virat deserved the ICC T20 Player of the Decade Award; even more than Rashid Khan, to every aspect and a big margin. But neither you can say he didn’t deserved it at all, nor you can that except Virat anyone other than him deserved it to a real good extent. Hope it boosts the cricket of the country which has the most fairytale rise to the world stage, hope they get more matches against top flight teams and wish Rashid along with his team keeps up the good work. Finally, congrats to Rashid Khan for winning the T20I Player of the decade.

Well, your views may differ. Share us your views in comments.

 

Tags: Rashid Khan, Afghanistan Cricket, ICC, ICC Decade Awards, T20 Player of the Decade, T20 Player of the Decade Controversy, ICC Decade Awards Controversy, Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, Malinga.

An Article By: Arpan Purkait

No one has taken more than Rashid Khan's 89 wickets in men's T20I cricket across the last decade 🙌 🇦🇫

Among bowlers with at least 50 wickets, his average of 12.62 is the best 🔥

Is he your pick for ICC Men's T20I Player of the Decade award?

VOTE 👉 https://t.co/Ib6lqGqUOi pic.twitter.com/qAVVLPcU1u

— ICC (@ICC) November 28, 2020