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why is rashid khan removed from Afghanistan captaincy

Why is Rashid Khan Removed from Afghanistan's Captaincy in T20Is?

Sportsdunia Desk

Modified - Mar 05, 2026, 01:06 PM

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why is rashid khan removed from Afghanistan captaincy

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) made a huge change as they have sacked their superstar cricketer, Rashid Khan, from the T20I captaincy after the team's early exit from the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026.

Opening batter Ibrahim Zadran has replaced Rashid as Afghanistan new T20 captain. The news came out when ACB announced the squad for the upcoming T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka. Considering the stature of Rashid, not just in national but in international cricket, this decision comes as a shocker for his fans. But the question remains - why was he sacked?

Why is Rashid Khan Removed from Afghanistan Captaincy?

Rashid Khan, one of the best T20 bowlers in the world, was first given the captaincy in this format in September 2019. Since then, he has led the side that has delivered multiple thrilling matches and has caused a lot of upsets as well. However, the side failed to win an ICC trophy even after their four appearances in the ICC T20 World Cup tournaments.

Adding to it, Afghanistan's recent performance in the T20 World Cup 2026 was disappointing, due to which, the ACB had to take a harsh decision and remove Rashid Khan from the captaincy. However, he also highlighted that during Rashid Khan T20I captaincy, Afghanistan managed to reach the 2024 T20 World Cup semifinals.

Meanwhile, the ACB Chief Selector, Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, confirmed it was a collective decision to replace Rashid Khan as a T20I leader.

"Rashid Khan’s tenure as the T20I captain brought immense success to the team, particularly highlighted by the team’s remarkable journey in the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup, where we reached the semi-finals. In alignment with the ACB’s long-term strategic vision and following recent changes in our Team Management, including the appointment of a new head coach, we have made the thoughtful decision to transition the leadership within the T20I setup,” Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil said in a statement.

Rashid Khan's Impressive Run as Afghanistan's T20I captain

Rashid Khan enjoyed a productive time as Afghanistan’s T20I captain, leading the side in 48 matches, while recording 26 wins and 21 defeats on the way. During this period, he also led from the front with the ball, taking 80 wickets at an impressive average of 13.51 and an excellent economy rate of 5.84. The numbers prove why he is considered as one of the best spinners in the world currently.

These numbers show his value as both skipper and a match-winner. One of the highlights of his captaincy came when he became the leading wicket-taker in the T20I format, surpassing former New Zealand captain Tim Southee during a match against the UAE.