'The whole Australia is my family': Rashid

Spin sensation Rashid Khan has vowed to stay on for the entire KFC BBL season despite the recent death of his father back home in Afghanistan, emotionally declaring the whole of Australia is his "family".

Following another star turn for the Adelaide Strikers in their 32-run drubbing of the Melbourne Renegades in Geelong on Friday, Rashid revealed that his extended family have all urged him to see out his BBL stint in Australia.

The leg-spinner will consider making a brief return to his home country if time permits – the Strikers have an eight-day break after their match against the Sydney Thunder on January 13 – but doesn't expect to miss any games.

Rashid said the support of Strikers teammates, the Adelaide public as well as fellow Afghan Mohammad Nabi, one of the Renegades' overseas players, was helping him come to terms with the loss.

"It was tough. I lost my Dad, the one who is very close to us and to my family," Rashid told reporters. "He really supported us - he struggled a lot while giving up (a lot) with how he (raised) us.

"He was always watching my games, he didn't understand cricket a lot but he just was always asking my family how I had done.

"It happens. It's life.

"In this situation, my family has really supported me … Especially my mum, my brothers, my nephews. They were encouraging me a lot from back home.

"They were calling me again and again. They were like, 'you have to be there, you have to play for us, you have to play for your Dad. We can see you're sad, you're alone there, you're (a long way) from home'.

"That's how their motivation helped to stay here and play for the Strikers."

Rashid bravely played in the Strikers' win on New Year's Eve just hours after learning of his father's passing, performing admirably but cutting an understandably more downcast figure than usual.

His spirits have been lifted by support from people on the street and in restaurants, with the 20-year-old saying he's been touched by the condolences he's received in public.

Rashid and Nabi also spent much of Thursday together in Geelong, with the 34-year-old Nabi providing some sage words for his national teammate over a pot of green tea.

"I spoke with him (Nabi) a lot. He said … 'it's life - someone will go, someone will come. We all will go one day. It's not like we will be here for all of time'," Rashid continued.

"The way the team, my captain, my coaches, my management – the way they (supported) me has been great.

"They were in my room until late (after the New Year's Eve game), encouraging me. I really love that – that kept me alive there … They were coming to me and hugging me. "

Born into Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, Rashid and his family had to flee their home country during the United States-led invasion in 2001 before returning to Jalalabad. He grew up alongside 10 brothers and sisters.

Many of his younger siblings and nephews bowl leg-spin, Rashid says, at an even faster pace than he did at the same age. One of his brothers who's less keen on cricket – 18-year-old Zaki – is eager to come to Australia.

"All my brothers, they bowl leg-spin. Our nephews, they bowl leg-spin. They are similar to me," Rashid explained.

"They are always sending me the videos playing at home. They are bowling much quicker than me, considering their age.

"My little brother, he bowls but he doesn't like cricket that much. He wants to come to Australia, he's always telling me, 'please take me to Australia, I want to see Australia and watch your games there and see the crowd and the supporters'."

In a boost for the BBL in the same week where another budding leg-spin star in Sandeep Lamichanne departed the Melbourne Stars to play in the Bangladesh Premier League, Rashid revealed he'd rejected an approach to play in the tournament.

In addition to his love of Australia, Rashid also said he wants to get further acclimatised to playing down under ahead of Afghanistan's tilt at the 2020 T20 World Cup to be held here.

"I was approached as well to go there (to Bangladesh) but I always preferred myself to go to Big Bash," said Rashid. "I love it. I love being here. It's absolutely different conditions for you as a bowler.

"We are always playing in Asia, if you (play) outside of Asia, it's something else for you, it's something new each and every day.

"The T20 World Cup is here, it's good preparation for us, for me as well, to be well prepared for the World Cup."