Rashid Khan’s eagerly expected comeback to professional cricket has been postponed once more as the all-around hero from Afghanistan pulled out of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which is set to start on February 17.On November 10, 2023, Rashid Khan made his final appearance for his country in an ODI World Cup match against South Africa. Following the conclusion of the major event, he had lower back surgery in the UK, and he has not played competitive cricket since.
Rashid Khan traveled to India with the Afghanistan squad for their three-match Twenty20 International series, but he was unable to play and was sidelined the entire time.
The 25-year-old has spent the last three seasons playing with the Lahore Qalandars, where he won the 2022 and 2023 titles. He will not, however, play for the team while he recovers.
With the idea that he would probably not be available for the upcoming edition but may still be kept for future seasons, the team signed the leg-spinner in the’silver’ salary category before to December’s draft. The Qalandars will be entitled to select a replacement player in the supplemental and replacement draft, which the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed will take place virtually on Monday, January 29, now that Rashid’s absence has been confirmed.
We must wait till he is completely healed before rushing him back from that kind of surgery: Jonathan Trott
Rashid has chosen to forego several franchise tournaments following surgery, including PSL 2024. He had already pulled out of the SA20 and the Big Bash League. Jonathan Trott, the head coach of Afghanistan, stated that Rashid’s recovery shouldn’t be hurried.
“We need to make sure that we handle his back with extreme caution. Because he is such a significant player, we must ensure he is fully prepared and not return from that kind of surgery too soon. He will be the first to take the field when he’s ready. There’s no set timeline; he has a few more check-ups and appointments to make sure everything is in order. There is no rush or pressure, but I hope it happens sooner rather than later,” Trott was cited by ESPNcricinfo.
Rashid is anticipated to recover in time for the Indian Premier League (IPL), according ESPNcricinfo. But, he might recuperate sooner, in which case he might play in Afghanistan’s multi-format series in the United Arab Emirates against Ireland from February 28 to March 18.
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