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County stint looms for rising Rashid

Report claims Afghan leggie could feature in UK domestic competitions

Teenage sensation Rashid Khan could become Afghanistan's first player to feature in county cricket with reports emerging the leg-spinner is being courted by two English domestic sides.

After producing the fourth best bowling figures ever in one-day international history earlier this month, Rashid could be set for a stint in the United Kingdom, according to the Daily Mail.

However Rashid, who's taken 63 wickets in 29 ODIs and 42 scalps in 27 T20 appearances for his country, would need to pass strict work visa regulations.

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The England and Wales Cricket Board have enquired with the British Home office over whether Rashid has in fact competed at an 'elite level', a requirement for foreign recruits to feature in domestic cricket, according to the report.

Rashid is yet to play a Test, as Afghanistan, along with Ireland, were only last week welcomed as full members of the International Cricket Council following a unanimous vote in London.

The 18-year-old made history in Afghanistan's ODI series against West Indies earlier this month, taking 7-18 to destroy the hosts in Saint Lucia.

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Australia allrounder Moises Henriques last month revealed he'd been eyeing his Sunrisers Hyderabad teammate for a potential Big Bash berth after playing alongside him in the Indian Premier League.

"I must say as captain of the (Sydney) Sixers I have been contemplating our little leggie (Rashid) we have over here," Henriques told Fox Sports.

"I still can't pick him in the nets. He bowls nearly 100kph and gets the ball to spin a little bit both ways.

"He is hard work especially over here in these conditions but it is something definitely worth contemplating for the Sixers.

"It would depend if he is available and I guess you also have to sum up how successful they can be in Australian conditions.

"I think teams will be silly to pass off the opportunity to not signing guys just because they are from developing cricketing nations.

"Players such as Rashid Khan from Afghanistan and also Mustafizur Rahman from Bangladesh, I've been lucky enough to play with both of them here at the Sunrisers and they have been able to mix it with the very best in the world and I'm sure they are good enough to be in the BBL competition."

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Rashid has admitted it'd be a "dream" to become the first Afghani to play in Australia's domestic T20 competition.

In his first season in the IPL, he picked up 17 wickets at 21.05 at an impressive economy rate of 6.62 and was named in Ricky Ponting's best XI from the tournament.

Rashid's exploits also impressed his Sunrisers captain David Warner, who praised his enthusiasm and labelled him a star of the future.

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"He's a superstar in the making," Warner told IPLT20.com in April. "He adds a great dynamic to our team.

"With Fizz (Rahman) out, he's stepped up to the mark as a youngster and he's helped us out tremendously. So hopefully he keeps continuing his form.

"I backed him in the first six (overs). He said 'give me the ball, I want to try'. He got the crucial wickets for us."