Rashid Khan was struggling with his hamstring, but he knew his contribution would "be the key" if his team were to pull off a historic series win against South Africa. So, he thought, if he could somehow "stay in the field till the end, why not, I should go for it". Go for it he did, and finished with figures of 9-1-19-5 to spin out South Africa and hand Afghanistan their first series win against a team ranked in the top five of the ICC rankings.
"I got a hamstring [injury], I had it a month before as well, quite unlucky but I tried my best to stay on the ground till the end, tried my best to do for the team as much as I can," Rashid said after the whopping 177-run win was sealed in Sharjah. "Big opportunity for us as a team you know, to win the series against a big team and that's what I had in my mind: my contribution will be the key so I have to go and stay till the end."
Rashid has struggled with injuries quite a bit of late. Hamstring trouble had ruled him out of the final week of the Hundred in August, before he returned home to play Afghanistan's domestic T20s, the Shpageeza Cricket League, and picked up a back niggle. He went on to miss the one-off - washed out - Test against New Zealand. In fact, this ODI series is his first cricket in either of the two longer formats since the 2023 ODI World Cup in India in November last year. After that World Cup, Rashid had undergone surgery on his back, and was sidelined altogether for four months after that.
On Friday, Rashid's 26th birthday, he was batting when his hamstring issues resurfaced. Coming out in the 47th over, he ran a two first ball, and immediately needed the attention of the physio. He continued to bat though, finishing six not out off 12. Would he come back out to bowl, though?
"We had a big opportunity to win a series against South Africa and I think the love for this game is just pushing you to play, doesn't matter how [hard] it is and I thought I'm able to play, I'm able to bowl, I'm able to stay in the field till the end, why not, I should go for it," Rashid said. "Good job done by the physio as well, to get me ready and deliver for the team."
Afghanistan had one more injury concern on the night, with half-centurion Rahmat Shah going off the field in the 21st over with what seemed like cramps at the time. That, it turned out, was hamstring trouble too. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi was hopeful it is not too serious though.
"I talked with him, he's good inshallah, maybe he will play the next game," Shahidi said at the post-match presentation. "But before that also I think he was not feeling good, hamstring happened to him, hopefully he will be okay and play the other game."
Afghanistan have sealed the series 2-0, but have a third game to play, also in Sharjah, on Sunday. After that, they have a bit of a break, with - as things stand - their next scheduled cricket being an all-format tour of Zimbabwe in December-January.