In what could be a bit of a setback to the Afghanistan cricket team, star leg-spinner Rashid Khan has been ruled out of their first two of the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka set to commence at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota on Friday. The 24-year-old Gujarat Titans (GT) leggie has sustained a lower back injury but is expected to be fit in time for the final ODI of the series on June 7. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) informed about Rashid's injury on Wednesday night.
"Low Back Injury rules Rashid Khan out of the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka. Afghanistan’s Bowling Ace @rashidkhan_19 has sustained a low back injury which forces him out of the first two games against @OfficialSLC," a tweet from the official handle of the ACB read.
"The Team Physio’s report confirms the injury and states that he will remain under full medical observation and is expected to return for the final ODI on June 7," a separate tweet added.
In Rashid's absence, onus will be on Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman who are the other spin bowling options that Afghanistan have in their squad. Notably, Rashid is fresh from a great run in IPL 2023 where he finished as one of the leading wicket-takers in the competition finishing joint-second along with 27 wickets from 17 matches. He even bagged a hat-trick and had an overall average of 20.44 and an econony of 8.23.
However, in the night of the IPL 2023 finals, Rashid conceded 44 runs in his 3 overs without picking up a wicket which was one of the several reasons GT finished as the runners up after succumbing to a five-wicket defeat to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a rain-hit titular contest.