Adil Rashid bamboozles USA with his googlies

“This is Adil Rashid at his absolute best,” said Nasser Hussain on air when Rashid cut through Aaron Jones’ slog sweep with an impeccable googly. 

It was a legspinner’s marvel. The ball pitched considerably outside the off stump, held into the surface and cut back sharply to clatter into the stumps. Exactly two overs later, he replicated it to send back Nitish Kumar. Classic googlies on the show. 

USA had a decent start in their last Super 8 fixture against the Three Lions, They were 48/2 in the powerplay before Rashid came on to bowl. Nitish Kumar was looking good at 23 off 15, having hit two sixes. He had the skipper Aaron Jones with him, whose form had just tapered off a bit, but he was still USA’s star batter. In short, the co-hosts could dare to aim at a decent score. 

That is when Rashid put the breaks on them before they could shift gears. Having created pressure with only two runs in his first over, he coerced Jones into playing the false stroke. The slog sweep has been his most productive stroke against spin in his T20I career. Building pressure with two dots to Jones in the ninth over, with a leg break and a slider, Rashid bamboozled the opposition skipper with a googly.

“It was a great match-up because he (Jones) loves to slog sweep,” Nasser Hussain assessed Jones’ wicket. 

After two overs, Rashid’s figures read 1/7. USA scored 50 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their second half. Rashid, contributed 1 / 6 to that in his remaining two overs. USA were eventually bowled out for 115, thanks to a hat trick from Chris Jordan in the 19th over. But the foundation of that was laid by Rashid’s leg spin. 

Ceasing the opposition has been Rashid’s modus operandi in this World Cup. In the last three fixtures, the 26-year-old has had figures of 2/13, 1/20, and 1/21, bowling his four overs every time. 

Against the West Indies, Rashid pulled down West Indies from 94/0 in 11 overs to a total of 180/4, which England chased down with ease. Despite a 12-run over, he conceded only nine runs in the other three overs while taking the wicket of Andre Russell. His 1/20 restricted South Africa from 86/0 to 163. 

England pacers have been on the expensive side in powerplay this World Cup (average 40.7, economy 7.9). But when Rashid comes in, it is like a different ball game altogether. England have spun their campaign from a near group stage exit to becoming the first side to qualify for the semifinals. Rashid has had a big part to play in that. 

“He (Rashid) is our most important player. Has so many variations and restricts runs," Buttler said in the post-match presentation after the win against West Indies, summing up the leg spinner’s contribution. 

With his spell against the US, Rashid also levelled Stuart Broad as the highest-wicket taker for England in T20 World Cups. 

Rashid has picked nine wickets in this T20 World Cup, averaging 17.4 runs apiece at an economy of 6.7 runs per over. Five of these wickets have come off googlies, averaging 4 at an economy of 4. Rashid’s googlies are the most lethal delivery in this World Cup. Next comes Rashid Khan’s leg breaks that has fetched eight wickets (average 8.4, economy 5.2). 

It is not surprising that all of Rashid’s wickets have come from that outside the off stump line. Rashid is putting the word ‘classical’ under the wrist spinners resume in this World Cup. 

If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out — big time. Play Fantasy on Cricket.com NOW! Download the App here.