Rashid Khan arrived at the World Cup near the top of the list of most dangerous bowlers in limited-overs cricket.
He'll leave with a mark near the top of the list for most runs ever conceded in one ODI innings.
The 20-year-old spinner had a concussion in a loss to 2015 finalist New Zealand and wasn't allowed to bowl in the next innings. He had a headache of a different kind against England on Tuesday, 18 June, when he was plundered for a World Cup-record 110 runs from his nine-over spell.
The return ranks him second on the list of worst figures ever in a one-day international game, behind only Mick Lewis' 0-113 from 10 overs when South Africa chased down 435 to beat his Australian team at Johannesburg in 2006.
Rashid went for 22 in one over at Old Trafford as England captain Eoin Morgan repeatedly launched his deliveries out of the ground. The leather ball had to be replaced after one straight drive crashed into the upper deck of the broadcasting box.
England rattled up 397-6, the sixth-highest total ever at a World Cup. Morgan's 17 sixes and England's 25 sixes overall were also records in one-day international cricket.
His performance drew flak and criticism from internet users but Ireland Cricket Twitter handle trolled him, tweeting, “We’ve just heard that Rashid Khan has scored Afghanistan’s first century of the #CWC19! Wow! 110 from 56 balls. The most runs ever scored by a bowler in the World Cup or something. Well batted young man.”
English cricketer Luke Wright came in Rashid’s defense and called the tweet by Ireland Cricket “rubbish”.
English bowler Stuart Broad also echoed Wright and said that everyone has bad days.
Afghanistan’s Ambassador to pakistan Atif Mashal took to Twitter on Tuesday to call Rashid a “hero”.
Expert Harsha Bhogle was stunned at the developments in the England vs Afghanistan match.
Rashid made his ODI debut at 17, and has taken 128 wickets in 64 ODIs with best figures of 7-18 at an average of 16.72 and an economy rate of just over 4 runs per over. He is a quality bowler in ODIs, and a star in the Twenty20 format, but hasn't taken a wicket in the last two games.
(With inputs from AP)
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