Rashid Khan creates world record, becomes first bowler with 700 T20 wickets

Afghanistan’s spin wizard Rashid Khan has created history during his team’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against the UAE on Monday (February 16) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

Rashid Khan has now completed a massive 700 wickets in T20 cricket and established himself once again as one of the most dangerous bowlers in the world. The superstar leg-spinner went wicketless in his first three overs. But in the 16th over, he struck gold.

Rashid Khan becomes first bowler ever to hit 700 in T20s

The UAE batter Muhammad Arfan lost his wicket in a strange fashion, and that single breakthrough pushed Rashid to the magical 700-wicket mark. He finished with figures of 1 for 24 in his four overs.

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With this wicket, Rashid has become the first bowler ever to complete 700 wickets in the shortest format of the game, adding another golden chapter to his already illuminated career.

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The journey of record-breaking milestones in T20s started with Australia’s Dirk Nannes, who was the first bowler to reach 100 wickets in 2010 and later 200 wickets in 2012.

After that, West Indies legend Dwayne Bravo dominated the format. He became the first to reach 300 wickets in 2016, 400 wickets in 2017, 500 wickets in 2020, and 600 wickets in 2022. Bravo ruled T20 bowling records for many years.

Rashid Khan became the 1st Bowler to complete 700 Wickets in T20s.

🔹 First Bowler in T20s 🔹

100 Wickets = 🇦🇺 Dirk Nannes (2010)
200 Wickets = 🇦🇺 Dirk Nannes (2012)
300 Wickets = 🏝️ DJ Bravo (2016)
400 Wickets = 🏝️ DJ Bravo (2017)
500 Wickets = 🏝️ DJ Bravo (2020)
600 Wickets =… pic.twitter.com/KhfIg3xDtQ

— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) February 16, 2026

Rashid’s T20 empire grows with every outing

Since his debut in 2015, Rashid has been the heartbeat of Afghanistan’s bowling attack. He has played 518 T20 matches across the world and picked up 700 wickets at an average below 20 and an economy rate under 7. He has also taken 18 four-wicket hauls and 4 five-wicket hauls in T20s.

In T20 Internationals, Rashid has so far taken 191 wickets in just 114 matches with a stunning average of 13.77. No other bowler has more T20I wickets than him. Now, the Afghanistan captain is just 10 wickets away from becoming the first cricketer ever to reach 200 wickets in T20Is.

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Rashid has also made a huge impact in franchise leagues around the world, especially in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he has taken 158 wickets in 136 matches.

Rashid Khan’s Afghan team fights to stay alive in Group D

Meanwhile, the ongoing Group D match in Delhi is very important for both teams in the T20 World Cup 2026. The result will decide the UAE and Afghanistan’s fate. Rashid Khan’s team is in big trouble. They are yet to win a single match in this tournament.

They first lost to New Zealand by five wickets. Then they suffered a heartbreaking defeat against South Africa after two Super Overs, losing by just four runs. Those back-to-back losses have pushed them far behind in the ongoing showpiece event.

On the other hand, the UAE is in a slightly better position. They lost their first match to New Zealand but made a strong comeback by beating Canada by five wickets. That win has kept their Super 8 hopes alive and placed them above Afghanistan in the points table.

Now the pressure is fully on Rashid Khan and his team. If Afghanistan faces defeat against the UAE, they will be officially out of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. For the UAE, a victory will almost seal their place in the Super 8 race. So, it is a do-or-die battle for Afghanistan.