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Dazzling Rashid lauded after all-round effort

President of Afghanistan issues hands off warning as star leg-spinner earns plaudits for stunning IPL playoff performance

Spin sensation Rashid Khan has cricket fans in India pleading for him to be awarded citizenship, while Sachin Tendulkar labelled him the best T20 spinner in the world after the Afghan teenager's remarkable all-round effort on Friday. 

Rashid almost single-handedly carried the Sunrisers Hyderabad into Sunday's Indian Premier League final with arguably his most important performance for the franchise.

The 19-year-old smashed an unbeaten 34 off 10 balls to lift Hyderabad's innings to 174 before leaving the Kolkata Knight Riders spellbound with his fast leg-spinners, claiming 3-19 in his four overs.

If that was not enough, Rashid was also involved in a run out and then took two catches while fielding close to the boundary rope in the last over as his team won by 14 runs and advanced to the final against Chennai Super Kings at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.

His performance left many impressed fans in the cricket-mad nation demanding on social media that he was awarded Indian citizenship, though the comments got a swift response from Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani.

"Afghans take absolute pride in our hero, Rashid Khan," he said on Twitter tagging Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I am also thankful to our Indian friends for giving our players a platform to show their skills.

"Rashid reminds us whats (sic) best about Afg. He remains an asset to the cricketing world. No we are not giving him away @narendramodi."

Rashid also earned a glowing tribute from former India batting great Tendulkar.

"Always felt @rashidkhan_19 was a good spinner but now I wouldn't hesitate in saying he is the best spinner in the world in this format," Tendulkar said on Twitter.

"Mind you, he's got some batting skills as well. Great guy."

David Warner, who was set to again captain the Sunrisers this season before the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal, described Rashid as a "freak".

"Not much more needs to be said, #freak what a game bat and ball," Warner wrote on his Instagram page.

"So proud of this young man. Into the finals now for @sunrisershyd and can’t wait to see the boys out there in the final. Gonna be a great game."

An intense bidding war erupted for Rashid's services in this year's auction before Hyderabad exercised their right-to-match option for 90 million rupees ($A1.7 million).

The Sunrisers last year paid 40 million rupees ($A780,000) auction to land the leg-spinner from Afghanistan, where cricket is highly popular but sporting facilities are lacking after decades of war.

He has made rapid strides since making his international debut in October 2015 as a 17-year-old, in February becoming the youngest to top the International Cricket Council's rankings for bowlers in the Twenty20 and 50-overs format.

The ball of the IPL? Rashid runs riot with special spell

Hyderabad's Australian coach Tom Moody had predicted the leg-spinner to have a major impact on this year's IPL.

Rashid has duly delivered with 21 wickets with an economy rate of less than seven and now looms as his side's trump card for Sunday's IPL decider against Chennai Super Kings.

Australian viewers can watch the 2018 season of the IPL exclusively on Fox Sports