Still only 23, Rashid is key to his nation's hopes of a first world title and a potential triumph which would deliver a rare bout of good news for his home country.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
However, Rashid told AFP that speculation over his private life in the run-up to the tournament, currently underway in Oman and the UAE, will not derail his ambitions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He denied he ever said: "I will marry when Afghanistan win a World Cup."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Actually, I was so shocked when I heard this because, to be honest, I never made a statement that I will marry once I win the World Cup," said Rashid, whose family lives in Nangarhar in the eastern part of Afghanistan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I just said that in the next few years I have more cricket and three World Cups (the 2021 and 2022 Twenty20 World Cups and the 50-over World Cup in 2023) so my focus will be on cricket rather than on getting married."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rashid, who made his Afghanistan debut when he was 17, is one of international cricket's most in-demand players.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He has already played 51 T20 international matches and more than 280 games in the format for franchises around the world.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A lucrative career has seen him ply his trade in England, Australia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa and, of course, the IPL in India where he has been a regular for Sunrisers Hyderabad since 2017.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He has 95 wickets in T20 internationals with an average of just 12.63 and in 2020 was voted the ICC's Cricketer of the Decade in the format.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On the low, slow wickets of the Gulf, spin will be key.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I think it will be a spinners' World Cup," said Rashid.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
'Slower and slower'
\r\n"The wickets here are mostly very good for spinners, so I think that's the main reason most of the teams have more spinners in their attack."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India have packed four slow bowlers in their 15 with Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Varun Chakravarthy and Rahul Chahar while England have Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Defending champions the West Indies have Akeal Hosein, Hayden Walsh and Roston Chase. Chris Gayle can also turn his arm over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan can call on Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz and Imad Wasim as frontline spinners. Veterans Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik can also give the ball a tweak.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
New Zealand have Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner and Todd Astle.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Australia, yet to win a T20 World Cup, will look to Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rashid is not Afghanistan's only front line spinner -- there is also Mujeeb Ur Rahman and skipper Mohammad Nabi.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"What I noticed during the Indian Premier League (the conclusion of which was also played in the UAE) was that wickets were good but there was not that much spin," said Rashid.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"But I think the more we play in this World Cup we might see wickets which are a bit different and the more you play on these tracks it becomes slower and slower and they will be handy for spinners."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rashid refused to predict any favourites for what is the seventh edition of the World Cup.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Well it's T20 and anyone can beat anyone on the day," said Rashid, who stepped down from the captaincy ahead of the event over not being consulted in squad selection.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We have a mixture of both experienced and young players and most importantly it's quite balanced with a few all-rounders which makes the side very balanced, especially in T20 when you have more of that all-round option."<\/p>\r\n\r\n