"Wanted To Win Medal At Asian Games, Denied Selection": Rashid Khan To NDTV

Rashid Khan Opens Up: Asian Games Medal Denied, Sooryavanshi Duel & BBL Dreams

New Delhi is hosting a rare Afghanistan-India T20I trio (first bilateral here in nearly 7 yrs), and Rashid Khan sat down with NDTV to lay bare some truths.

On the team's struggles: Rashid is blunt—talent isn't the issue. It's execution under pressure. "Skill and talent are right up there," he says, but "sometimes under pressure, you make mistakes. Those mistakes hold us back." He points to crowd exposure as the differentiator; his years in the IPL have him comfortable in the big-game theatre, while some teammates haven't had that luxury.

On the Vaibhav Sooryavanshi clash: The 15-yr-old sensation dragged Rashid to his ton with a six before the bowler got him shortly after. Rashid's verdict? "The power he has is very special." His approach against the young gun is beautifully simple—keep it calm, hit the right area consistently, don't overthink. "He's going to do wonders," he predicts.

On the Asian Games: The emotional core. Rashid didn't make the squad, but the longing is palpable. "I would have loved to be part of it... I really wanted to play for a medal." A quiet disappointment lingers: "Perhaps it was not in my luck this time."

On the BBL/Australia situation: Bilateral ties paused, but his love for the Big Bash remains. Currently on 98 BBL wickets (2 short of 100!). He's urging both boards to resolve the standoff: "I hope to see myself back in the Big Bash soon."

A thoughtful, honest conversation from one of the game's finest.

Source: NDTV Sports