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Rashid Khan replaces Mohammad Nabi as Afghanistan T20I captain

The legspinner will take over the leadership officially for the second time in his career

Rashid Khan's first assignment as T20I captain this time will be the tour of UAE in February 2023  •  AFP/Getty Images

Rashid Khan's first assignment as T20I captain this time will be the tour of UAE in February 2023  •  AFP/Getty Images

Rashid Khan has been reappointed Afghanistan captain in T20Is, replacing Mohammed Nabi after the allrounder stepped down from the role following the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Rashid isn't new to the role, having captained Afghanistan across formats before. Mirwais Ashraf, the ACB chairman, said that Rashid's experience of playing in different T20 leagues across the world would help "take the team to a new level".
Rashid's first assignment will be the tour of UAE in February next year, where Afghanistan will play three T20Is.
"Captaincy is a huge responsibility," Rashid said after the appointment was announced. "I have the experience of leading my country before, there is a great bunch of guys with whom I have a good understanding and feel pretty comfortable. We will try to stick together, will work hard to put things on the right track and bring pride and joy to our country and nation".
Rashid, 24, has led Afghanistan in T20Is before: for three months between September and November 2019, recording four wins in seven matches. Overall, Afghanistan have won seven out of 16 matches across formats under his leadership.
The ACB has been keen on giving Rashid the captaincy in the last two years. In June 2021, Rashid had declined the T20I leadership, fearing it would affect his performance as a player. In July, however, he was named captain for the 2021 T20 World Cup last October.
However, a month before the competition began, Rashid resigned from his position, stating the selection committee and ACB had not obtained his consent in selecting the team, and Nabi took over the captaincy.
"Rashid Khan is a massive name in Afghanistan Cricket," Ashraf said. "He has colossal experience of playing the format around the world which will help him take the team to a new level in the format.
"Rashid Khan has the experience of leading AfghanAtalan in all three formats before and we are happy to have him as our skipper for the T20I format again. I am sure he will come out on top and will bring more glory to the nation".